From Dan Tepfer, CT Post
Prosecutors were waiting last month for key evidence in a murder trial–$9,535 that had been seized by cops from the accused killer’s home. But when Sgt. Luigi Tucciarone pulled open the heavy door of the decades-old safe in the Bridgeport Police Department’s record room, the money was gone.
Not just the cash from the murder case, but possibly $30,000 more that had been stored in the safe, said police sources. They just don’t know.“Upon being made aware of this issue (the missing $9,535), I immediately referred it to the Office of Internal Affairs and an investigation was launched,” said Police Chief Joseph Gaudett. “The investigation is ongoing and it’s our policy not to comment when it comes to ongoing investigations.”
Full story here.
The full text of the memo obtained by Hearst Connecticut Media regarding the missing $9,535 from the police property room safe.
To: Lieutenant Christopher LaMaine
From: Sergeant Luigi Tucciarone
Date: October 24, 2015
RE: 11D0520
Sir,
On October 14th 2015 Inspector Rich Lindberg came to Police Headquarters to retrieve evidence for Homicide case 11D0520. At that time I and Officer Paul Carl went to the safe in the record room to retrieve receipt number 11CG185 which was to include exhibit #14 and #17. We located exhibit #17 which is marked with receipt #11CG185. We could not find exhibit #14. Inspector Lindberg did not take exhibit #17 with the other evidence at that time and exhibit #17 was placed in the property room safe. Later that day or the next day I advised Deputy Chief James Baraja that we could not locate this evidence in the safe. He advised we would inventory the safe to search for it in the near future.
Today upon arrival to the office I was advised by Officer Carl to call you. After speaking to you I, Officers Carl and Tesla and Inspector John Torento from Part A went into the record room and physically removed every piece of evidence in the safe in search of the missing exhibit. We did not locate it. We have already searched the homicide evidence storage as well as the firearm and drug storage locations and did not locate Exhibit #14. I called D/C Baraja and advised him of this.
I retrieved the receipt book from 2011 and found Sergeant John Devone took in the evidence from Detective Juan Gonzalez on May 26th 2011. The receipt book indicates $9535 submitted but does not list the exhibit #s. The log book shows $9535.00 was taken in and placed in the safe but also did not list the exhibit #s. I amended the entry today in red ink writing in “(exh14 missing 10-24-15)” and “exh17” with my initials.
Respectfully submitted
Sgt. Luigi Tucciarone
Cc: D. C. James Baraja
Do you think something could be wrong when no evidence number is attached to this money? Do you think maybe there should be a monthly inventory of evidence? Do you think someone without a department or legal problem should be assigned to the evidence room? Do you think someone should be fired? We pay a ton of money to the upper brass and they don’t do squat.
Oh nooooooooo!!!
Andy, please please don’t start writing posts like JML! One person who asks questions but doesn’t tell us what they think is too many, another one will cause my head to explode!!!
Okay, you got it.
Booty,
It is sad that questions cause you such distress. The best teachers I have experienced, formal and informal, posed questions and allowed me to puzzle out an answer. I learned a lot more that way.
You may notice that after several years of writing on OIB you are one of only a few (and all of them with “hidden handles”) who want to know what I think. If you follow the subjects I tend to raise and broadly address you will remember I am all in favor of OPEN, ACCOUNTABLE and TRANSPARENT governance, structure and process. There is is, as simply stated as I can, what I think will be good for Bridgeport!!! Better than aspirin? Time will tell.
John, I believe in your message, and I want you to get your message out.
You should have seen many many messages from the candidates to the voters. Mailpieces, position papers, etc. I can also throw in newspaper articles. None of those messages/articles ever once use your style of posing questions to the voters/readers and expect them to puzzle out the answers and thereby learn something. Why do you think that is? John, you can stop reading now.
For everyone else: They don’t do this because it does not work. It’s not effective at getting a candidate’s message to the voters, or an article out to the readership. If the voters/readership even read it at all, they just stop reading and tune out at that point. If you don’t get you message out, no one will vote for you. (Unless of course you manage to get the Dem endorsement and are on the top line. Then it doesn’t matter who you are.)
This should be a quick investigation. Between limited access and cameras, I say one week. Does not look good happening at the change of the guard (administrations).
No one was prosecuted when $73,000,000 worth of the “French Connection” heroin disappeared from the NYPD’s evidence locker.
Devone was later granted accelerated rehabilitation. Under accelerated, a person does not plead guilty but admits the state has enough evidence to get a conviction.
Why wasn’t this officer fired? There was enough there under the contract to fire him. This is another case of covering someone’s ass.
Sorry Booty, a couple more questions.
Once more we can see how incompetent the current PD administration is.
For God’s sake Gaudett, leave already. What part of you are not wanted in the PD don’t you understand?
I ask you, look back at your time as Chief. Is the PD better now than when you took charge? What’s your legacy? What are you going to be remembered for?
Have some dignity and leave gracefully, not like your boss Finch.
I know you read OIB.
Our City deserves better. Go back to Newtown.
C’mon Andy, you know that isn’t right. Accelerated Rehabilitation (AR) in Connecticut is a diversionary program that can be used if you have never been convicted of a crime. It can only be used if you are charged with certain crimes that are deemed not serious but still carry a possible term of imprisonment.
You might be thinking about an Alford Plea. I believe with little or no effort you could have found out what AR was without the need to poison the water.
Donald, I could have presented it better. “Accelerated Rehabilitation (AR) in Connecticut is a diversionary program that can be used if you have never been convicted of a crime. It can only be used if you are charged with certain crimes that are deemed not serious but that still carry a possible term of imprisonment” So for two years this officer has this hanging over his head.
How did I muddy the water? The water is already muddied. Now that they have found this money was put in the evidence safe with NO evidence number by this sgt, actions should be taken whether he is on disability or not. The water has been muddied by the inaction of the police brass.
And it becomes even more clear why the police union supported Ganim. [Jail]birds of a feather.