Corrupt Philadelphia Cop Gets Long Prison Sentence For Ripping Off Drug Dealers
By Tony Hanson
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- A former Philadelphia police officer was sentenced today to 17½ years in prison for stealing from drug dealers.
US District Court judge Legrome Davis Jr. told defendant Jonathan Garcia that he had done more harm than he can fathom.
"Garcia was the mastermind of a criminal scheme -- basically, they were robbing drug dealers," says federal prosecutor Kevin Brenner. "They were using a confidential source in a way that was against Philadelphia police protocols. And they were using the source to set up drug dealers who they would then stop, search, and ultimately rob of money they recovered from them."
Garcia, who blamed greed and his own Percocet abuse, also admitted selling heroin that he had obtained from another source.
A co-defendant, a former partner of Garcia who admitted stealing money but was not charged with dealing drugs, was set to be sentenced this afternoon.