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Are Cop Sex Charges Just Smokescreen for Bigger Scandal?
By
John Del Signore
Published Jul 26, 2010
Modified Jul 26, 2010
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By
John Del Signore
Published Jul 26, 2010
Modified Jul 26, 2010
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After a year-long investigation, the NYPD's Internal Affairs Bureau has brought departmental charges against two officers who engaged in hanky panky and lied about it when confronted. Deputy Inspector Valentim Neves and his subordinate Officer Mareli Hnatko face dismissal from the force after investigators determined that they had sex "well in excess of 100" times, "both on and off duty, in and out of department facilities, including vehicles." We can only assume that there was wanton misuse of departmental handcuffs.
The investigation started after Neves, 53, had a fight with his wife in January 2009 and she tipped off the IAB that he was having a "personal" relationship with Hnatko, 41, who worked for Neves in the NYPD's School Safety Division. The Daily News reports that in a separate suit, Officer Robin Marable accused Neves of "treating other women under him unfairly... while lavishing Hnatko with overtime and special treatment." After Neves denied the allegations, the IAB used video cameras, subpoenaed hotels and motels, and reviewed cell phone, E-ZPass and roll call records to allegedly catch them red-handed.
Compared to other NYPD sex scandals, this is pretty tame. But Marable's lawyer, Eric Sanders, says the IAB has not pursued other allegations brought by Neves's wife, particularly that Neves prepared taxes for high-ranking NYPD officials who protected him through the years. "I don't care about [Neves's] sex life," Sanders tells the News. "This case is about corruption and the Police Department is throwing him to the wolves to cover up who he was doing business with." But were the high-ranking NYPD officials having sex with Neves? If so, it might be worth looking into.
Tagged
affair
internal affairs
nypd
sex scandal
John Del Signore
Originally from the Albany area, John Del Signore has called NYC home since 1995. In addition to his thousands of meticulously-crafted bespoke blog posts for Gothamist, his writing has also been published in The Awl, Deadspin, The Nervous Breakdown, and performed at The Brick Theater in Brooklyn.
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