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Jun 04, 2023

Offering Sex Act Charge Dropped For Ex

SUFFOLK COUNTY, NY — Two charges have been dropped against former Suffolk County Police Chief James Burke, who was arrested last Tuesday and initially accused of soliciting a male undercover officer,

SUFFOLK COUNTY, NY — Two charges have been dropped against former Suffolk County Police Chief James Burke, who was arrested last Tuesday and initially accused of soliciting a male undercover officer, Suffolk County officials said.

Last week, according to Suffolk County Police Commissioner Rodney Harrison, Burke was arrested on August 22 in a Suffolk County Park during an undercover sting and charged with offering a sex act, public lewdness, indecent exposure, and criminal solicitation, fifth degree, with additional potential charges pending, Harrison said.

On Tuesday, Suffolk County representative Marykate Guilfoyle said two of the charges, offering a sex act and criminal solicitation, fifth degree, had been dropped. "After further consultation with SCPD detectives, it was determined to move forward with the charges of public lewdness and indecent exposure," she said.

Suffolk County Parks Rangers and Police were responding to "numerous complaints" about activity at Vietnam Memorial Park in Farmingville. The targeted response unit utilized plainclothes rangers, Harrison said.

At approximately 10:15 a.m. Tuesday, at Suffolk County Vietnam Veterans Memorial Park, the Suffolk County Park Rangers' targeted response unit arrested Burke, Harrison said.

Burke also served prison time for assaulting a man arrested for stealing his duffel bag — which contained porn and sex toys. Police were still trying to ascertain if he was still on parole, Harrison said.

Harrison said the plainclothes officer was a male, Harrison said.

Steve Laton of the Suffolk County Parks Rangers spoke about numerous complaints about the park system, including graffiti, vandalism, quality of life issues, theft, and solicitation of sex.

The plainclothes officers were only out a few minutes, ranger Brian Guattrini said.

The ranger who made the arrest did not recognize Burke, Laton said. "Not until he identified himself and said, 'Do you know who I am?'" he said.

Officials confirmed that they believed Burke was attempting to get out of being arrested. "He was expressing how this would be a public humiliation for him," Guattrini said.

Officials would not go into the details of what prompted the arrest; no one else was arrested.

There was no information given on "rumors," including answers to questions on whether or not there were drugs involved, Harrison said.

In 2019, four years after his arrest, Burke completed a federal prison sentence.

Burke, 54, of St. James, was charged in 2015 with assaulting Smithtown resident Christopher Loeb who was arrested for stealing a duffel bag with items, including sex toys and porn, a gun belt and ammunition, from Burke's SCPD-issued SUV, as well as other police vehicles in 2012.

During the assault, Loeb was handcuffed and chained to an eye bolt fastened to the floor at the Fourth Precinct. In Jan. 2017 Burke, who was sentenced to serve 46 months in prison, was transferred to the low-security prison in Allenwood, Pennsylvania.

The exposure of Christopher Loeb's 2012 in-custody beating by Chief of Department Burke, not only led to the top uniformed police officer's downfall, but that of his mentor, District Attorney Thomas Spota, and deputy, Christopher McPartland.

The aftermath sent Burke, Spota, and McPartland to federal prison.

Loeb later received a $1.5 million settlement from Suffolk in 2018.

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