Former NYPD Police Officer Sentenced to 33 Months Imprisonment for Engaging in Bribery Scheme

Earlier today, at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn, Michael Perri, a former New York City Police Department (NYPD) police officer, was sentenced by United States District Judge Rachel P. Kovner to 33 months of imprisonment and a $25,000 fine for conspiring to use interstate facilities to commit bribery.  Perri has already paid the government over $158,000 in forfeiture.  During the relevant period, Perri was a recently retired NYPD police officer formerly assigned to the 107th Precinct in Queens.  Perri pleaded guilty to the charge in November 2022.  Perri’s co-defendant, James Davneiro, a NYPD police officer in the 107th Precinct during the relevant period, was sentenced in March 2023 to one year of imprisonment after pleading guilty to the same offense.  Another of Perri’s co-defendants, Giancarlo Osma, also a NYPD police officer with the 107th Precinct during the relevant period, was sentenced in April 2023 to 14 months’ imprisonment, after pleading guilty to the same offense.

Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Michael J. Driscoll, Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), and Keechant L. Sewell, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD), announced the sentence.

“Michael Perri, after retiring from the NYPD, conspired with two police officers to betray their oaths and the public with promises of easy money, and as a result, they have all been sentenced to prison for their corruption,” stated United States Attorney Peace.  “This Office will vigorously investigate and prosecute public servants and their associates who exploit their positions of power for private gain.”

“Dedicated to uncovering and eradicating corruption in all its forms, investigators with our Internal Affairs Bureau worked tirelessly since the outset of this case,” stated NYPD Commissioner Sewell.  “There must always be zero tolerance for such betrayals of public trust. I thank our partners with the FBI’s Public Corruption Unit and everyone from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District who helped to guide this case through to its conclusion.”

According to court filings, Perri orchestrated a scheme to pay thousands of dollars in bribes to co-defendants Davneiro and Osma for their corrupt agreement to assist an automobile repair and tow trucking business that Perri had begun operating upon his retirement from the NYPD (the “Business”).  Beginning in May 2020, Davneiro and Osma responded to automobile accidents and directed the damaged vehicles to the Business operated by Perri, instead of using the NYPD’s Directed Accident Response Program (DARP), which requires NYPD officers to identify an appropriate licensed tow trucking business to respond to the scene of the automobile accident and remove the damaged vehicles from the scene.  To ensure that no particular business receives favored treatment, NYPD officers are required to use a computer system that randomly selects a licensed tow trucking business.  Davneiro and Osma bypassed DARP and directed damaged vehicles directly to the Business in exchange for thousands of dollars in bribe payments paid by Perri.  Perri, Davneiro, and Osma continued to participate in the scheme until May 2021, when they were arrested.  In total, Davneiro and Osma steered at least 73 vehicles damaged in automobile accidents to Perri, resulting in total profits to the Business of more than $150,000.  In exchange, Perri paid Davneiro and Osma more than $50,000 in bribes in total.

The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Public Integrity Section.  Assistant United States Attorney Ryan C. Harris is in charge of the prosecution. 

The Defendants:

JAMES DAVNEIRO
Age:  44
Bayside, New York

GIANCARLO OSMA
Age:  40
Deer Park, New York

MICHAEL PERRI
Age:  34
East Islip, New York

E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 21-CR-508 (RPK)