NYPD Sgt. from Valley Stream indicted in bribe scheme

David Villanueva, 42, of Valley Stream, is one of several New York City Police Department officers facing federal public corruption charges for his role in a years-long scheme to receive bribes for expediting and approving gun licenses, according to U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara.

Villanueva, a longtime sergeant, was a supervisor in the NYPD’s gun licensing division, which reviews all applications for gun licenses submitted by city residents. The division receives about 5,000 applications per year, and reviews each for disqualifying factors, such as prior felony convictions.

Prosecutors say that from at least 2012 through 2016, Villanueva received cash bribes and other benefits from Alex Lichtenstein, 44, also known as “Shaya,” a Brooklyn-based gun license “expediter.” Lichtenstein’s clients would apply for licenses that would often be granted within weeks, with Villanueva and a police officer who worked under him, Richard Ochetal, 37, allegedly speeding a process that normally takes months or, sometimes, more than a year.

Villanueva and Ochetal were accused of not doing required checks, including criminal history checks, and of running checks only after licenses were approved. Many applications that contained “red flags” were ap-proved, including those of people who had arrest records or faced allegations of domestic abuse, according to prosecutors.

The officers are also alleged to have approved gun li-censes that re-quired business-related justifications when there were no such justifications.

Ochetal allegedly did first-level reviews of many of the applications and was instructed to approve them. Lichtenstein was paid by his clients and gave some of that money to Villanueva, which was shared with Ochetal, prosecutors said. The officers also received other benefits, including limousine rides, bottles of liquor and a wine tour.

Villanueva was charged with one count of bribery, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, and one count of conspiracy to commit bribery, which carries a maximum sentence of five years. Lichtenstein was charged with two counts of bribery and one count of conspiracy to commit bribery.

Ochetal pleaded guilty to one count of bribery and one count of conspiracy to commit bribery. He is cooperating with the investigation, prosecutors said.

Deputy Chief Michael Harrington and Deputy Inspector James Grant were arrested the same day as Villanueva, and charged in Manhattan federal court in connection with an alleged bribery scheme that involved the receipt of tens of thousands of dollars in meals, trips, home renovations and other benefits in exchange for an array of official NYPD actions, including private police escorts, ticket fixing and assistance with settling private disputes. Another Brooklyn-based man, Jeremy Reichberg, was also arrested and charged with bribing them.

Bharara said that the investigation was continuing. He praised the FBI, the NYPD Internal Affairs Bureau and the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations Division for their work. “The alleged conduct violates the basic principle that public servants are to serve the public, not help themselves to cash and benefits just for doing their jobs,” Bharara said. “Jeremy Reichberg allegedly showered senior police officials, Commanding Officers Michael Harrington and James Grant, with bribes, and in exchange, got ‘cops on call,’ a private police force for themselves and their friends. As alleged, Sgt. David Villanueva and Officer Richard Ochetal in the NYPD’s gun licensing division were also on the take, issuing gun licenses in exchange for cash, liquor and limo rides. It is heartbreaking to see police officers who have taken the oath to serve and protect allegedly bring dishonor to an institution and profession deserving of the greatest honor. I thank the FBI for their work on this important investigation and the NYPD for its commitment and courage to police itself.”

FBI Assistant director-in-charge Diego Rodriguez said that the abuses of power in the case were not victimless crimes. “The victims are the citizens of New York, who rely on officers to fulfill their sworn duty,” he said. “The victims are the upstanding police officers who do everything in their power to uphold the law and protect the public. The victims are public trust and confidence in law enforcement, both critical to ensuring public safety. The FBI, along with our partners, will continue to root out this kind of decay at every level in order to protect our citizens from the devastating consequences of corruption that undermines safety, and erodes the trust between law enforcement and the public.”

NYPD Commissioner William J. Bratton said that two separate investigations by the NYPD and the FBI over the last three years led to the arrests. “This investigation is not over,” Bratton said, “and we will continue to work together with our law enforcement partners to go where the facts of these cases lead us.”