Five people, including four NYPD officers, were charged Monday morning in connection with an ongoing federal corruption investigation, law enforcement officials told NBC 4 New York.
(NBC)- FBI agents and NYPD officers made arrests and executed several warrants in a search for evidence.
Those charged include Deputy Chief Michael Harrington, Deputy Inspector James Grant, and Sgt. David Villanueva and Richard Ochetal, both in the department’s licensing division, officials said.
Harrington was a high-ranking official in the department’s housing division, while Grant was the former commanding officer of the 19th Precinct on the Upper East Side and was a top officer in the 66th Precinct in Borough Park. Both officers were placed on modified duty earlier this year, and both later put in for retirement.
Also charged is Jeremy Reichberg, the owner of a venture capital firm who allegedly gave gifts to officers, sources said. Alex Lichtenstein, a Brooklyn businessman charged earlier this year with allegedly bribing NYPD officers to expedite gun licenses for his associates, was also charged with additional crimes Monday, sources said.
An attorney for Grant couldn’t immediately be reached for comment. Attorney information for the others charged wasn’t immediately available.