There are crooks and thieves in every profession and the NYPD isn’t exempted as it’s reported that some officers stole nearly $3K worth of Jay-Z-brand champagne from VIP music festival guests. What? These are officers tasked to protect humans and properties and now they are rather the ones stealing champagnes from festival guests.
The Insider has the details;
Three New York Police Department detectives have been indicted in connection to the theft of almost $3,000 worth of luxury champagne from VIP guests at an electronic music festival while the officers were supposed to be working, prosecutors said.
Officers Jonathan Gonzalez, 33, Wojciech Czech, 44, and Warren Golden, 31, were on narcotics enforcement duty at the Electric Zoo Festival on New York City’s Randall’s Island on September 3, 2022, when prosecutors allege the alcohol theft occurred in a VIP area, according to court documents reviewed by Insider.
Prosecutors have accused Gonzalez and Czech of swiping two unopened bottles of the pricey Ace of Spades champagne from rapper Jay-Z’s line, and have alleged that Golden, who they say witnessed the act, did nothing to stop the heist.
“Public confidence in the criminal justice system depends on members of law enforcement acting with the utmost integrity while on duty and following the same rules that apply to everyone else,” Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said in a statement announcing the charges on Monday.
Czech and Golden were arrested on Monday and suspended from duty, according to the NYPD.
Czech was charged with two felonies —fourth-degree grand larceny and fourth-degree criminal possession of stolen property — while Golden was charged with official misconduct, which is a misdemeanor.
They both pleaded not guilty to the charges at their arraignments.
Gonzalez, who prosecutors allege put the bottles of bubbly worth $2,900 into his backpack, is being charged with grand larceny, criminal possession of stolen property, and official misconduct. He is expected to be arraigned later this week.
Golden’s attorney, Jacob Weinstein, told Insider that he believes his client “will be totally vindicated in this matter.”
“The charge is simply not supported by the facts and the DA’s office should never have brought this allegation against Officer Golden,” Weinstein said.
A lawyer for Czech told Insider that the 10-year police veteran is “shocked and saddened by these allegations.”
“Det. Czech has pleaded not guilty and asks the public to withhold judgment until these charges can be fully addressed in the appropriate forum,” attorney Oliver Storch said.
An attorney for Gonzalez did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Meanwhile, an NYPD spokesperson told Insider that the police department “will continue to pursue the facts in this investigation and initiate further discipline where appropriate.”
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