CENTRAL ISLIP, N.Y. (WCBS 880) — Former Suffolk County District Attorney Thomas Spota was sentenced to five years in prison in federal court on Long Island on Tuesday.
The case against Spota began in 2012 when the county's former police chief, James Burke, was accused of beating up a suspect who broke into his police-issued vehicle and stole a duffel bag apparently full of ammunition and sex toys.
Spota was accused of helping to cover up the assault committed by Burke and was convicted, along with his top aide, on conspiracy, obstruction of justice, witness tampering and civil rights violations charges in December 2019 following a five-week trial.
His chief aide, Christopher McPartland, was also sentenced to five years in prison Tuesday.
In a statement released Tuesday, current Suffolk County District Attorney Timothy Sini said Spota and McPartland's actions "represent the worst of law enforcement."
"Their conduct has devastated many people individually, deprived Suffolk residents of what they deserve from public officials and was a disservice to all the honest, hardworking men and women of law enforcement," Sini said.
Burke had previously pleaded guilty to various charges and spent nearly four years in prison.
Spota's relationship with the former police chief began in 1979 when Burke was a teenager and a star witness in a murder case that Spota was prosecuting.
Spota, who was district attorney from 2002 through most of 2017, turns 80 years old in a few weeks.
Prosecutors had sought 96-month sentences for both Spota and McPartland. In addition to his five-year sentence, Spota will also be required to pay a $100,000 fine.
At trial, defense attorneys had argued that the prosecution's case was based on a former investigator, who they say is an alcoholic and "delusional," and claimed Spota did not know about the beating until Burke pleaded guilty to obstructing justice and violating civil rights.
