An internal investigation into allegations that several NYC Sheriff’s Office employees stole liquor and tobacco confiscated as evidence during the COVID-19 pandemic years has resurfaced, with an anonymous source telling amNewYork that some of the workers are still employed with the agency — and a few are on track for promotions.
The evidence at the center of the controversy includes liquor and tobacco that was stored in a Long Island City warehouse by the Sheriff’s Office under former Mayor Bill de Blasio’s administration, led by then-Sheriff Joseph Fucito, during the enforcement of emergency public health orders. The seizures often netted large quantities of alcohol, which was supposed to be inventoried and stored as evidence.
Workers in the Sheriff’s Office, including 12 deputies, sergeants and an investigator, had different plans for the liquor, as they were seen on video taking the bottles out of evidence storage from 2020 to 2021. Several workers were observed stashing bottles of booze in their private cars.
An investigation was triggered when fellow employees observed a so-called “man cave” where employees were allegedly involved in frat boy-like behavior, including consuming confiscated alcohol, cigars, and cigarettes.
The NYC Sheriff’s office raided a Feb. 7, 2021 party in Brooklyn where more than 200 patrons, many of whom weren’t wearing masks, partied in violation of COVID-19 regulations.Photo courtesy of NYC Sheriff’s Office
The tipsters brought the alleged misconduct to the attention of the city’s Department of Investigation (DOI) through three anonymous complaints between January and December 2021. The watchdog agency’s investigation found that, at the time of the misconduct, the sheriff’s office did not properly inventory the evidence in accordance with its own guidelines.
“DOI observed that the seized evidence and property was stored in a disorganized manner and generally lacked proper labeling and tracking documentation,” the agency’s report read.
DOI then brought the results of its investigation to the Queens District Attorney’s Office, who had jurisdiction over the matter. However, according to an article in The City, the office declined to prosecute, citing a lack of evidence.
Adding a layer to the controversy, a source close to the situation confirmed that some of the accused — but not criminally convicted — workers connected to the case remain employed by the city and outside agencies in the area, though seven resigned before the case went to administrative trial.
“They got away with it because [the contraband] was never inventoried properly,” the source said. “They never documented what was taken in although you see them taking stuff out, you can not say exactly what they took.”
The Sheriff’s office raided an illegal rave on March 6, 2021 inside a warehouse located within a Superfund site in Ridgewood, Queens.Photo courtesy of NYC Sheriff’s Office
Despite the DOI’s investigation, which found violations that led to administrative trials and referral to the DA’s office, some employees are reportedly still working and on track for promotions at the sheriff’s office.
“The people in the new administration, they don’t know the history of what went on here, so they’re trying to promote some of these same people,” the source said.
Fucito, while no longer at the head of the sheriff’s office, is still employed as an undersheriff. Despite overseeing the department at the time, he was not named in the investigation.
“They never held him accountable for anything,” the source said.
According to the DOI’s interview with Fucito, the former sheriff said a tool room in the evidence storage area was converted into a break room, known on site as the “man cave.” He further stated that he would often pass by or visit the break area but “nothing appeared to be out of order” when he was there, the investigation read.
amNewYork contacted Fucito for comment on the case, and is awaiting a response.
Following the investigation, DOI issued recommendations to improve evidence tracking at the sheriff’s office. Among those are implementing an automated property management system to track evidence, conducting regular internal inventory checks, and improving records of disposal of evidence and property.
According to DOI, the sheriff’s office has, to date, implemented most of the agency’s recommendations.
amNewYork contacted the sheriff’s office to ask about the current process for vouchering property and evidence; amNewYork was told since 2022, the system for tracking evidence collection has significantly improved.
The anonymous source said that since 2022, the department has conducted itself in a more professional manner.
“We have safeguards in place. If they find money, there are two people counting it in the presence of a supervisor, there are body-worn cameras. It’s all documented,” he said.
amNewYork also contacted the Department of Finance (DOF), of which the sheriff’s office is a part, for comment.
“We take all allegations of employee misconduct seriously,” a DOF spokesperson said. “In this instance, appropriate disciplinary action was taken at the time to address the matter.”