Brooklyn, NY – Report: Gun Permit Scandal Leads Investigators To Possible Large Scale Corruption In The 66th Precinct

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    Brooklyn, NY – An investigation into a bribes for gun licenses scandal has expanded even further, calling into question the integrity of the entire command structure at the 66th Precinct which encompasses Borough Park and parts of Flatbush.

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    As previously reported on VIN News, Sergeant David Villanueva and Officer Richard Ochetal were stripped of their guns and badges yesterday and placed on modified duty for their part in the scheme, with Deputy Inspector Michael Endall reassigned to an administrative position. All three worked in the NYPD’s licensing division and are accused of giving Alex Lichtenstein gun permits in exchange for $6,000 without performing any background checks.

    According to WCBS News, the 44 year old Lichtenstein allegedly resold 150 gun permits for $18,000 each, with some of those sales taking place in the 66th Precinct.

    Lichtenstein, a former member of Borough Park Shomrim who now lives in Rockland County, became the target of a police investigation after allegedly trying to bribe a police officer one month ago.

    The incident was reported to the NYPD’s Internal Affairs Bureau, with investigators discovering a permit purchased in 2013 using Lichtenstein’s credit that ended up in the hands of a man with an extensive criminal record.

    Lichtenstein was arraigned Monday in U.S. District Court on bribery and conspiracy charges and is out on $500,000 bond. If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in prison.

    With 150 illegally issued gun permits on the streets, police are scrambling to try to locate the unlawfully obtained firearms. Retired NYPD Detective Sergeant Joseph Giacalone described the process as “a huge undertaking.”

    Other members of the licensing division are also reportedly under investigation and more arrests are expected. Sources said that investigators are looking into the affairs of two retired members of the NYPD who may be of interest, one of whom may have been running a side consulting business, offering advice on how to obtain a gun permit.

    The Internal Affairs Bureau is reportedly looking into the way gun permits are allocated and is expected to make recommendations on how to create tighter controls in the permit process.


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    29 Comments
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    pinay
    pinay
    7 years ago

    What happened to the 2nd amendment? NY should be a shall issue state and law people wouldn’t have to jump through hoops to get what the rest of this country gets as a matter of right.

    nat101
    Member
    nat101
    7 years ago

    When the Feds are out to get the yidden and use hundreds of FBI agents to track every move and “by chance” ‘scandals’ are being discovered, its time to daven!

    They get the jews and the Police who they (the white house) hate in one swoop.
    At the same time, their communities, full of drugs and murder etc etc etc, and they are roaming the streets, and we are the bad guys.

    I am not saying that the police and their friends in this story are right. I am saying there is humongous misappropriation of justice aimed at us with motives other than obeying the law. According to law, if they target you illegally (but they lost all the evidence against them in a server crash) they can’t prosecute.

    Welcome to the USSR of 1950!

    Yidden! Hashem hut intz gevizen nissim asach mool. Rasts ahn mit tfilos!
    VeHee ShUmduh laVoiseinee!

    LionofZion
    LionofZion
    7 years ago

    #2 , we are bad guys. Every day we are in the paper. We have engaged in terrible things, bribing people, corrupting people, getting guns to people who should not have them, stealing money from charities, taking bribes. And these are all “Frum” people. Some Chasidish, some not, but all supposedly Shomer Shabbos. Hashem is looking down and yelling “what is wrong with you people!”

    Instead of making excuses we should start behaving and we should raise our expectations to our fellow Jews that they follow the laws as well. This stuff is all crazy! Things can be very good here if you just work and live a decent lifestyle.

    7 years ago

    So being Jewish is an excuse to put guns in the hands of criminals? Being Jewish means you can bribe public officials.
    And when you get caught – scream anti-Semetism
    Pathetic

    kenyaninwhitehouse
    kenyaninwhitehouse
    7 years ago

    The police in the 66th are the most corrupt in the city and mostly the commanders are Italian since they live familial ties to Bensonhurst though they always live on Staten Island. Once the cops start talking to avoid jail, Yidden will be scooped up by the van full or minyan full.

    ChareidiMan
    ChareidiMan
    7 years ago

    Hopefully this will be a huge huge wake up call to all of those that somehow think that being close with NYPD or any other officials serves them in any capacity.

    The NYPD has no royalty to you whatsoever, even though they smile at you and take your bribes and money. Do your really think they will back you when the curtain falls on them? Do you think they like you? Do you think that without the illegal actions they would look at you? of course not! only a fool can think that way and then when the **** hits the fan, you will be all alone and they will turn on you in a NY minute!

    Instead of being busy with this nonsense and making 1.8 million dollars this way, go out and get a job and educate yourself, because what goes around, comes around and its not pretty at the end!

    Realist77
    Realist77
    7 years ago

    There is no anisemitism here. They broke the law and got caught. The reason Jews are in the news daily is because they continue to break the law. Shtick that worked in Yeshiva does not work in the real world. This person made 2.7 million dollars off the licensed he obtained and sold illegally. It really is quite simple to avoid being under the FBI’s radar, be honest. Honest law abiding citizens do not get investigated nor indicted by law enforcement.

    7 years ago

    How many yeshiva boys with their dad’s gelt bought a gun?

    7 years ago

    nebech

    nat101
    Member
    nat101
    7 years ago

    Whoever is criticizing my comment (#2) did NOT read it! And did NOT get it!

    Misappropriation of justice means that although the individual(s) indeed did break the law, there are others who also broke laws (often much more serious offenses) and are being overlooked.

    Tell me why 280 (TWO HUNDRED and EIGHTY!) FBI agents on the recent raids on the yeshivas in Monsey and Willy and KJ (no arrests!) for maybe using funds meant for computers to purchase alarm systems?

    WHY is B&H being investigated for not hiring all kinds of people?

    Why is Sholom Rubashkin still in Jail while Obama has pardoned THOUSANDS of drug DEALERS and others?

    The list goes on and on.

    Hashem yerachem what they still want to do in the next few months.

    DAVEN DAVEN and DAVEN!

    L-Chaim
    L-Chaim
    7 years ago

    The irony of the “trials and tribulations” occuring as we enter Pesach is truly proof that Hashem has a sense of humor.
    We learned nothing from Moishe in the court of Pharaoh when Egypt sinned against us. We learned nothing in the desert when the people sinned against Hashem.
    Although we are scrupulous about the G-d -centered Commandments of the Decalogue, we conveniently forget those that deal with our neighbors.
    Learn the difference between PROSECUTION and PERSECUTION. And realize we have become worse than Pharaoh.