Jurors complete second day of deliberations at Bongiovanni trial
Former DEA Agent stands trial for allegedly taking bribes from drug dealers in exchange for protection Former DEA Agent, Bongiovanni, is on trial for allegedly taking bribes from drug dealers in exchange for protection. The government alleges that he used his position as a DEA agent to shield drug dealers, who have ties to the mafia, by tipping them to investigations and informants. The allegations relate to a drug ring allegedly led by Ron Serio and Michael Massecchia, who allegedly arranged for MasSecchia to make payments to him. Former co-workers testified that Bongoiovanni kept a large file on the Serio-MassecchIA Drug Trafficking Organization on his desk at the DEA offices in Buffalo while working for the DEA. The file was found inside a box in Bongovanni's basement after he had retired from the DEA and was among the evidence requested by jurors.
Published : 2 months ago by Dave McKinley in
Former DEA Agent stands trial for allegedly taking bribes from drug dealers in exchange for protection
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The government accuses Bongiovanni of using his position as a DEA agent to shield drug dealers, whom prosecutors have described as having ties to the mafia, by tipping them to investigations and informants.
The government alleges Bongiovanni would open "sham" investigations against individuals he was protecting, so he would be alerted to any investigations by other police agencies against them.
He's further accused of then dissuading those other agencies from pursuing their investigations, sometimes by claiming that those they were looking into were actually his informants.
The allegations primarily involve a drug ring allegedly lead Ron Serio and Michael Massecchia. Serio testified during the trial that for several years he arranged for Massecchia to make payments to Bongiovanni.
Former co-workers of Bongiovanni testified that he kept a large file on the so-called Serio-Massecchia Drug Trafficking Organization on his desk at the DEA offices in the Electric Tower in Buffalo while working for the DEA.
The file was found inside a box in Bongiovanni's basement after he had retired from the DEA, according to agents who executed a search warrant there in 2019.
The file is among the items of evidence which jurors asked to look at on Thursday afternoon.
That evidence may pertain to the last two counts in the indictment, accusing Bongiovanni of lying to investigators when he described Gerace as not much more than an acquaintance from their childhood, who Bongiovanni would occasionally run into.
The records, entered into evidence by prosecutors, include numerous text messages between the two including some about getting together for social occasions and making travel plans.
The prosecution says the messages demonstrate Bongiovanni and Gerace, who Bongiovanni is also accused of accepting bribes from, were much more than acquaintances.
Jurors also requested a list of all the applications that Bongiovanni had made for wire taps and pin registers during the course of the many drug investigations he conducted during his career.
Prosecutors have alleged that despite having claimed that he was conducting an investigation into the Serio-Massecchia drug ring, he never applied for any such investigatory tools when it came to that.
Topics: Crime