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Post by Shuftin on Jan 24, 2007 1:30:06 GMT -5
January 23, 2007 NEW YORK, NEW YORK - A retired police detective serving a federal sentence for stealing nearly $800,000 in drug money was sentenced Tuesday on state charges related to the case. Thomas Rachko, 48, was sentenced to four and a half years to be served concurrently with his seven-year federal sentence. The case was part of a damaging corruption scandal at the New York Police Department. Rachko and his one-time police partner, Julio Vasquez, were caught on tape stealing $169,000 from a drug courier and pleaded guilty to state charges of second-degree larceny. Confronted with the evidence, Rachko, who retired from the police department in 2002, began cooperating with federal investigators and helped provide evidence that led to charges against several other detectives. Rachko said he stole because he needed money to fuel a gambling addiction. He could have gotten up to life in prison on federal narcotics conspiracy charges. Vasquez was awaiting sentencing on the state charges. He also cooperated and was sentenced to six years in federal prison earlier this month for stealing and reselling cocaine. He resigned after his arrest in 2003. www.newsday.com/news/local/wire/newyork/ny-bc-ny--detectivesentence0123jan23,0,7331019.story?coll=ny-region-apnewyork
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