New York, NY – More than 200 gun permits issued by three NYPD officers who are accused of taking bribes in exchange for gun licenses have come under scrutiny, with gun owners instructed to surrender any firearms in their possession to police while the investigation continues.
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As previously reported on VIN News, Deputy Inspector Michael Endall, Sergeant David Villanueva and Officer Richard Ochetal of the NYPD’s licensing division were all reassigned for having provided former Brooklyn resident Alex Lichtenstein with gun permits for $6,000 each.
Lichtenstein allegedly sold the permits to individuals at a significant profit without performing the requisite background checks.
According to a CBS report, six guns and licenses issued by the three officers have already been revoked, with eleven more expected this week.
Police commissioner Bill Bratton said that those actions were based on missing paperwork and not criminal concerns.
Bratton said that the investigation is currently focusing on 246 permits issued by the three officers.
Lichtenstein, who was arrested on April 18 and charged with bribery and conspiracy to commit bribery, is estimated to have been involved with 150 gun permits.
As reported Monday by VIN News, that all of the permit holders in question were notified by mail that the NYPD was suspending their licenses because of the ongoing investigation, which is being headed by Inspector Terence Moore of the Internal Affairs Bureau.
Permit owners were advised that failure to surrender their license and firearm will result in a home visit from the police.
Anybody want to bet that most, if not all, of those who bought their permits from Lichtnstein which have now been suspended and must also surrender their pistols will NOT be reinstated once their applications are reviewed and their background checks are completed?
BennyT settle down. It’s not so cut and dry
some shvitzers think carrying a gun is cool and therefore paid $18,000 for a carriers permit so they can show off they have a pistol in their holster.
those who obtained them by paying off Lichtenstein should have them confiscated and the ones who really need them should apply for them in a legal manner .
its mind boggling how low people can go to gain financial wealth .
its the same a drug dealer who dosent care that thousands of kids die from overdose as long the stuff their pockets.
Once again another scam by our educated respectable people.
I have said this many times on vin but will say it again. Do educated steal and lie? Yes. But they “have to” steal and lie” in order to earn a respectable living? No. Those not educated are forced to steal and lie. That’s the difference.
כּל שׁאינו מלמד את בּנו אמונות מלמדו ליהות ליסטים