A former Jersey City police officer ensnared in a federal probe into no-show off-duty jobs has been sentenced to 18 months prison, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.Â
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
Michael O’Leary, 35, of Jersey City, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge John Michael Vazquez to one count of conspiracy to commit bribery back in September. Vazquez imposed the sentence yesterday in Newark federal court.
From November 2013 through April 2016, O’Leary engaged in a conspiracy in which he paid nearly $40,000 in bribes to another cop who was authorized to assign off-duty work, in exchange for that officer’s official assistance in submitting phony vouchers to Jersey City indicating that O’Leary had completed certain off-duty assignments.
As a result, O’Leary was compensated for work he never performed, authorities said.
In addition to the prison term, Vazquez sentenced O’Leary to two years of supervised release and ordered him to pay restitution of $113,145 and forfeiture of $39,587.
Furthermore, Carpenito credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Timothy A. Gallagher in Newark, with the investigation.
The Jersey City Police Department is cooperating with the investigation.
Citing the ongoing FBI investigation, Mayor Steven Fulop announced last month that the city would be abolishing the off-duty detail program.
