A Jersey City police officer has been sentenced for his role in a cargo theft and extortion scheme. Mario “Mad Dog” Rodriguez will serve three years in jail and another three years of supervised release as well as paying a fine of $2,000.
“Mad Dog” stole 600,000 cigarettes and a few dozen televisions from a trailer at a warehouse in Secaucus, NJ with a partner who, unbeknownst to him, was an FBI confidential informant. The two men then drove together to Staten Island where Rodriguez sold the cigarettes to an undercover agent for $5,000.
About a week later, Rodriguez, the informant, and two undercover agents planned to rob a “drug courier,” also an undercover agent. Rodriguez and his friend, Anthony Roman, approached the “drug courier” van, identified themselves as police officers, pretended to arrest the informant, and took a bag containing $20,000.
While Rodriguez will see the inside of a jail cell, his sentence could have been much worse. With changes of cargo theft and conspiracy to commit extortion he was facing up to a combined 30 years in prison.
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Source: gobytrucknews, nj, nj, cbslocal
Image Source: copblock
Jeffrey Alan Landry says
The real story should be “FBI Confidential Informant Saves The Day”. To be a police officer and have to deal with the corruption without getting involved in order to fit in must be bad enough, but when they have to turn informant within their own force, that is a valiant act. Police being policed .
Donna says
That’s a federal offense why was his sentence so light? Interesting….
Jraulpilot says
He plead guilty upon arraignment for a deal (saving the Tax payers a few thousands in Court trial) *6 yrs total, Lost “the job”, also a shame for his whole family and Kids (if he has any). (** became a Felon; NO DECENT JOBS for him)
Gordon A says
The judge doesn’t have to buy cigarettes for a long time now and has a TV in every room.
There was probably an agreement that Bubba and Tyrone would look out for him in Jail. Be his best buddies.
royce dressel says
Didnt I see this in a movie? Remind me to stay out of NewJersey. It wouldnt fly out here in kansas. Our cops dont even understand what a bribe is. Let alone shake down policies. If you tried to ensnare a kansas cop he would just give you a blank stare. Im actually not kidding. Think about it, when was the last time you ever heard of a kansas cop committing a crime that didnt involve adultry? They just aren’t on that particular wave length. Im not saying they are better, just incapable of that thought pattern. Except maybe in KC.but that hell hole really belongs in Missouri anyway.
Robert says
He sold the cigarettes for the same amount of money Eddie Murphy’s character turned down in Beverly Hills Cop !! That’s was in Detroit. So maybe cigarettes are more expensive there.
Ron says
Cops,and people who commit crimes are one in the same from what I’ve learned after 66 years.
doghouse says
should have givin him the 30yrs , if it had been you or me thats wht we would have gotten, and as for saving the tax payers money, that BS, if they would spend it to convict me they should spend it to convict him, this is just another case of preferential treatment cause hes a cop