Dishonest cop gets a slap on the wrist

Some of his actions could have put people in jail for years

A New Haven police detective was sentenced to 90 days in prison Monday for manipulating evidence and stealing money during drug investigations, part of a pattern of wrongdoing uncovered during a probe of police misconduct in the city.

Former Det. Jose R. Silva had been allowed to plead guilty three months ago to one count of deprivation of individual rights as a result of what authorities determined to be his relatively minor role in the police misconduct. He was sentenced by Senior U.S. District Judge Alan H. Nevas. Silva was one of six men caught in a joint state-federal investigation of the city police department's narcotics unit and the principals in a family-owned, New Haven area bail bond business.

Former police Lt. William White, the one-time head of the city narcotics squad and the senior figure implicated in the law enforcement sting, has admitted stealing tens of thousands of dollars of what he thought was drug money and taking thousands more in bribes from the bail bondsmen. He pleaded guilty to theft and bribery conspiracy and could be sentenced to four years in prison later this month.

Federal prosecutors said in court in Bridgeport on Monday that Silva was implicated in crimes with former Det. Justen Kasperzyk. Both men reported to White. On one occasion, prosecutors said Silva acquiesced while Kasperzyk improperly relocated confiscated narcotics during a drug raid to solidify a case against a suspect. Another time, prosecutors said, Kasperzyk stole $1,000 confiscated during a drug raid and later gave $500 to Silva. Silva kept the money and did not report the theft, prosecutors said.

Kasperzyk has pleaded guilty to theft of government property and a civil rights conspiracy. He is scheduled to be sentenced in March.

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