CENTRAL ISLIP, N.Y. – A former suburban New York police sergeant charged with stealing money from Hispanics during traffic stops has been cleared of most counts, including hate crimes.
However, a Long Island jury did convict 52-year-old Scott Greene of larceny and official misconduct.
The verdict drew immediate calls from Hispanic advocates for a federal takeover of the Suffolk County Police Department, which previously was the focus of a Justice Department probe following the 2008 death of an Ecuadorean man by a group of teenagers.
Greene was charged in 2014 with grabbing $50 or $100 cash at a time from victims.
Defense attorney Scott Gross conceded during the trial that Greene took $100 during a sting, but said the officer never targeted Hispanics.
Newsday (http://nwsdy.li/1KhKmVG ) reports he faces 1 1/3 to 4 years in prison.
___
Information from: Newsday, http://www.newsday.com
The hottest stories ripped from the headlines, from crime to courts, legal and scandal.
