Former New York Police Department Officers Sentenced in Manhattan Federal Court for Their Roles in Conspiracies to Distribute Firearms and Stolen Goods

Preet Bharara, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that three former New York City Police Department (NYPD) officers were sentenced in Manhattan federal court for their respective roles in conspiracies to illegally transport firearms and other stolen goods across state lines. Eddie Goris, who participated in schemes to transport defaced firearms and stolen goods interstate, was sentenced to 36 months in prison. Richard Melnik and John Mahoney, both of whom participated in the transport of stolen goods interstate, were sentenced to 21 months in prison and one year and one day in prison, respectively. Goris and Melnik were sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Barbara S. Jones and Mahoney was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Richard S. Sullivan.

Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara said, “These three sentencings are sad occasions in the history of the finest police department in the country. With them, we are that much closer to putting this sordid chapter behind us.”

According to the court filings and statements made in court:

From October 2010 to October 2011, Goris transported defaced firearms and stolen goods, including cigarettes and other merchandise, across state lines. Goris, who was an active-duty NYPD officer at the time he committed the offenses, participated in numerous trips to transport the stolen goods, including two trips to transport slot machines from Atlantic City to New York; a trip to Virginia to take part in a theft of 270 cases of cigarettes; multiple trips to transport hundreds of cases of stolen cigarettes from New Jersey to New York; and a final trip during which 20 firearms, including three M-16 rifles, one shotgun, and 16 handguns—many of which Goris knew were defaced, and all of which had been disabled—were transported from New Jersey to New York. The total street value of the goods Goris helped transport across state lines was approximately $1 million. Goris was paid $30,000 for his role in the schemes.

From December 2010 to March 2011, Melnik, who was retired from the NYPD when he committed the offense, participated on multiple occasions in the transport of stolen cigarettes and counterfeit merchandise from New Jersey to New York. Melnik’s last involvement in the conspiracy took place in March 2011, when he traveled from New York to Atlantic City, New Jersey to take part in the transport of purportedly stolen slot machines. In total, Melnik was paid $10,500 for his role in the scheme.

Mahoney became involved in the conspiracy in February 2011 while he was an active-duty NYPD officer. Mahoney participated on three occasions in the illegal transport of purportedly stolen goods, including cigarettes and slot machines. In total, he was paid $4,500 for his role in the scheme.

In addition to the prison term, Judge Jones sentenced Goris, 32, of Rosedale, New York, to three years of supervised release and ordered him to pay a $300 special assessment fee. Goris also has agreed to a money judgment of $30,000 representing his share of the crime proceeds and has relinquished his interests in guns seized from him at the time of his arrest.

In addition to the prison term, Judge Jones sentenced Melnik, 43, of Staten Island, to one year of supervised release and ordered him to pay a $100 special assessment fee. Melnik has also agreed to a money judgment of $5,000 in forfeiture of crime proceeds and has relinquished his interests in guns seized from him at the time of his arrest.

In addition to the prison term, Judge Sullivan sentenced Mahoney, 27, of Staten Island, to two years of supervised release and ordered him to pay a $100 special assessment fee. Mahoney also has agreed to a money judgment of $4,500 representing his share of the crime proceeds and has relinquished his interests in guns seized from him at the time of his arrest.

Goris, Melnik, and Mahoney were originally charged in a four-count complaint along with nine co-conspirators, many of whom were fellow NYPD officers. All the defendants have now pled guilty, except Ali Oklu, an active duty NYPD officer at the time he allegedly committed the offenses. The charges and allegations against Oklu that are contained in the complaint and the information are merely accusations, and he is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

A chart containing the status of each defendant is below.

Mr. Bharara praised the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Affairs Bureau of the NYPD.

This case is being handled by the Office’s Public Corruption and Complex Frauds Units. Assistant United States Attorney Carrie H. Cohen is in charge of the prosecutions.