NY: NYPD officer arrested for cannibal conspiracy

[seamusTX]

A white 28-year-old New York City police officer was arrested today for conspiracy to abduct, kill, cook, and eat women.

He was arrested by FBI agents, with the case apparently handed off by NYPD internal affairs.

He is accused of conspiring with others via the internet and accumulating files on actual women. He is accused of using law-enforcement databases to acquire information about potential victims in some cases.

This news site contains the entire federal complaint:
http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/fbi ... -1.1191956" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

He was married and had a kid, was estranged from his wife, and it seems had "issues" with women. He had way more than three ways to kill you. He speculated about cooking a restrained victim alive.

One bad apple.

- Jim

[SewTexas]

OK....that was one sick puppy.....

[seamusTX]

Yeah, there are some things that are too sick even to fantasize about.

I wonder how many more are out there, who have been more careful. The BTK killer operated for 17 years while his friends and family thought he was a perfectly nice guy.

- Jim

[Robert*PPS]

Glad they got him before any of that was carried out. That's disturbing...

[BigGuy]

Wonder how he feels about the "liberal" courts now that he's a perp?

[WildBill]

I read about this. The whole thing is quite bizarre, but conspiracy aspect got my attention. That means there is more than one weirdo out there.

[Oldgringo]

I read about this. The whole thing is quite bizarre, but conspiracy aspect got my attention. That means there is more than one weirdo out there.

More than one weirdo in NYC??? Get out!

[seamusTX]

Conspiracy is one of the most difficult cases to prosecute. Some of are old enough to remember the "Chicago 7" trial. It's difficult to distinguish criminal conspiracy from inflamed rhetoric, online role-playing, or casual trash talk.

The right of free speech is as protected as can be, but it does not extend to solicitation to commit a crime. Also this guy was allegedly not just chatting on the internets. He had accumulated files of women that he knew, with their personal data, and used a government-owned database in a manner not authorized by law.

The feds did not nail the other parties yet, if they ever do. Philosophically, it's ironic to prosecute one person for conspiracy (which must involve multiple actors) but it happens.

- Jim

[Jumping Frog]

Glad they got him before any of that was carried out. That's disturbing...

That we know of.

Someone doesn't progress from speeding 5 miles over the limit to conspiracy to capture and eat women in one step. He may very well have prior criminal history that hasn't come to light.

Serial killers can often operate under the radar for a long time.

[seamusTX]

He may very well have prior criminal history that hasn't come to light.
Serial killers can often operate under the radar for a long time.

That's true, and many serial killers have "successfully" escaped prosecution or even detection - like Jack the Ripper.

However, this guy was sloppy. I wonder if he didn't have some mental or drug abuse problem. Not that that would be an excuse, but it would explain the progression of bizarre behavior.

- Jim

[jayinsat]

Conspiracy is one of the most difficult cases to prosecute. Some of are old enough to remember the "Chicago 7" trial. It's difficult to distinguish criminal conspiracy from inflamed rhetoric, online role-playing, or casual trash talk.

The right of free speech is as protected as can be, but it does not extend to solicitation to commit a crime. Also this guy was allegedly not just chatting on the internets. He had accumulated files of women that he knew, with their personal data, and used a government-owned database in a manner not authorized by law.

The feds did not nail the other parties yet, if they ever do. Philosophically, it's ironic to prosecute one person for conspiracy (which must involve multiple actors) but it happens.

- Jim

I'm no lawyer and I don't play one on t.v. but, I'm thinking it's going to be difficult to lock him away for any real length of time if they can't prove he did anything. You can't convict a person for intent to do a crime. How long can he get for terroristic threats?

[philip964]

Was this a pre crime thing, his private fantasy's, or a real crime? Is planning a crime a crime, or only if you involve others, so it is a conspiracy? Leaving out the fact he is a police officer and the sicko nature of what he was planning, was there a crime? They mentioned illegal use of government computers. Is that their best case?

Would this be similar to the jihadists they snare in stings here in the US with maps of military bases etc?

[seamusTX]

Yes, planning a crime is a crime. The feds are big on it. It also happens at the state level.

One common example is solicitation of murder for hire. Someone who wants their ex-wife or some other person whacked, who isn't gutsy enough to do it himself, will start asking around to his sleazier acquaintances. One of them will be a police informant. A detective will present himself as a hit man. They get the transaction on "tape," and there you go.

Another common example is online sexual predators. I remember the cops arresting a guy who had set up a meeting with what he thought was a 14-year-old girl in Santa Fe, Texas. The "girl" was a cop. The guy showed up with, among other things, a hood, a gag, large tie-wraps, lubricant, and condoms (IIRC).

My point being that the guy had not actually talked online to a minor, and he had done nothing else illegal. The objects in his car were all legal to own, but they indicated a pattern of intent that most decent people would hang him for.

Also the suspect in this "cannibal cop" case is accused of misusing government databases. That is a separate and provable offense.

Probably this guy, if he is found guilty, won't do serious prison time. However, his police career will be over. He won't be driving around in a state-owned car with a uniform, badge, and gun. And he will be on the radar as a known kook.

- Jim

[jayinsat]

Yes, planning a crime is a crime. The feds are big on it. It also happens at the state level.

One common example is solicitation of murder for hire. Someone who wants their ex-wife or some other person whacked, who isn't gutsy enough to do it himself, will start asking around to his sleazier acquaintances. One of them will be a police informant. A detective will present himself as a hit man. They get the transaction on "tape," and there you go.

Another common example is online sexual predators. I remember the cops arresting a guy who had set up a meeting with what he thought was a 14-year-old girl in Santa Fe, Texas. The "girl" was a cop. The guy showed up with, among other things, a hood, a gag, large tie-wraps, lubricant, and condoms (IIRC).

My point being that the guy had not actually talked online to a minor, and he had done nothing else illegal. The objects in his car were all legal to own, but they indicated a pattern of intent that most decent people would hang him for.

Also the suspect in this "cannibal cop" case is accused of misusing government databases. That is a separate and provable offense.

Probably this guy, if he is found guilty, won't do serious prison time. However, his police career will be over. He won't be driving around in a state-owned car with a uniform, badge, and gun. And he will be on the radar as a known kook.

- Jim

great perspective. Thanks Jim

[seamusTX]

Thank you.

BTW, conspiracy defendants often try to use a free-speech or "just kidding" defense. Lately "role playing" is a defense.

On that basis, a group of people could perform every planning step of a crime like bank robbery or kidnapping, including buying legal weapons, photographing sites and victims, and establishing getaway routes and a safe house.

Grand juries indict people for that kind of behavior all the time.

- Jim