By Adam Roberts
STOUGHTON – Going back to 2002,
members of the Stoughton Police Department have been involved in crimes ranging
from extortion to selling stolen goods.
The corruption cases have
resulted in charges for two former sergeants and the police chief.
A 2008 FBI probe convicted a
30-year officer and snagged others for lying to federal agents.
Sgt. David M. Cohen was
sentenced to 21/2 years in state prison for attempted extortion, witness
intimidation and filing a false police report.
Cohen abused his police powers
in attempting to collect a $10,000 debt owed to his friend by a businessman.
He went to prison from Aug. 27,
2007, to Oct. 13, 2009, until his conviction was overturned because of a jury
selection error.
He was tried again on Feb. 22,
2011.
Chief Manuel J. Cachopa was
found guilty of being an after-the-fact accessory to attempted extortion in
January 2009. He was given three years probation for trying to cover up Cohen’s
actions.
Detective Sgt. Anthony
Bickerton Sr., a 30-year veteran, was convicted in 2010 for lying to the FBI
and trying to hide evidence.
He served a year in jail for a
10-year criminal relationship with an informant during which he took more than
$30,000 worth of stolen electronics. The informant said Bickerton later sold the
goods at reduced prices.
Detective Arlindo Romeiro
received three years of supervised probation and $3,000 in fines for lying to
FBI investigators.
He reportedly got involved with
Bickerton, purchasing a stolen plasma TV.
