Former Suffolk County Police Chief James Burke, who previously led the investigation into the Gilgo Beach murders, has been arrested again. Burke, 58, was taken into custody on Tuesday at Vietnam Veterans Memorial Park in Farmingville, Long Island. He was arrested by park rangers after allegedly soliciting sex from an undercover ranger. Charges against Burke include offering a sex act, indecent exposure, public lewdness, and criminal solicitation.
According to Suffolk County Police Commissioner Rodney Harrison, park rangers were conducting an operation in response to numerous complaints about quality of life issues and solicitation of sex at the park. Burke exposed himself to a ranger and expressed interest in oral sex, as stated in the arrest report. He also attempted to leverage his former law enforcement status to avoid arrest, asking the rangers if they knew who he was.
Burke, who served as the Suffolk County Police Department’s chief from 2012 to 2015, had previously been sentenced to federal prison in 2016 for assault and obstruction of justice. He was released in April 2019 after serving 40 months. During his tenure as police chief, Burke was under investigation by the FBI and U.S. Attorney’s Office for assaulting a man in police custody and covering up the incident.
Burke’s arrest comes after the recent identification of Karen Vergata as the fifth victim in the Gilgo Beach murders case. He has been suspected of impeding the FBI’s investigation into the murders, and other law enforcement officials have accused him of obstructing cooperation with the case.
Additional charges may be pending, and authorities are determining if Burke is still on federal probation. The former police chief is known for his involvement in high-profile cases and has faced previous allegations of sexual misconduct.
Author: Ryan Scott
Just a guy