former Chicago police officer pleaded guilty Tuesday to federal felony charges stemming from one of the worst misconduct scandals in the department's history.
Keith Herrera, 33, admitted taking part in three robberies in which he and other officers with the elite Special Operations Section stole hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash from suspected drug dealers and other citizens after making illegal traffic stops or searches of their homes.
Herrera, who remains free on bond until his scheduled sentencing on July 14, faces up to 13 years in prison, but prosecutors said in a plea agreement that if Herrera continues to cooperate, they will recommend a reduced prison sentence.
Herrera pleaded guilty to civil rights and tax-related charges and admitted he pocketed about $40,000 from the robberies in 2005. He admitted he never reported the money as income on his federal tax return for that year.
Herrera later secretly wore a wire, recording then-Officer Jerome Finnegan, identified by authorities as the scheme's ringleader, allegedly plotting the murder of a Special Operations Section officer whom he suspected of cooperating with authorities.
0 comments:
Post a Comment