Disgraced former cop James Burke pleads not guilty after sex sting arrest

The former high-ranking law enforcement official from Long Island, previously embroiled in a sex solicitation sting, has entered a plea of not guilty to the charges leveled against him, reported NBC.

James Burke, the former Suffolk Police Chief, submitted his not guilty plea on Monday afternoon in response to charges of public lewdness and indecent exposure. Neither Burke nor his legal representative made any comments as they departed from the courtroom.

Burke's arrest occurred on August 22 at the Suffolk County Vietnam Veterans Memorial Park in Selden, as part of a sting operation orchestrated by county park rangers, according to an NBC New York source. Initially, he had faced four charges, including criminal solicitation and offering a sex act, but both of these charges were subsequently dropped, as confirmed by the county's police commissioner. The reasons behind the dismissal of these two charges against the 58-year-old remain unclear.

Suffolk County Police Commissioner Rodney Harrison explained that the arrest had taken place at the commencement of an undercover operation initiated in response to reports of sexual solicitation in the park. The park rangers apparently were unaware, initially, of the identity of the disgraced former police chief.

At the time of his arrest, Burke had attempted to leverage his name to evade detention, inquiring if the officers recognized his identity.

"He was expressing to us how this would be a public humiliation for him," noted Sgt. Brian Quattrini of the park rangers.

This incident was not Burke's first encounter with legal trouble. In 2018, he was released from federal prison after serving a sentence related to an assault on a handcuffed individual who had stolen a duffel bag from his vehicle, and subsequently attempting to cover up the incident.

The former chief's name had re-emerged recently following the arrest of alleged Gilgo Beach serial killer Rex Heuermann. Critics have long contended that Burke hindered the murder investigation by rejecting assistance from the FBI.

James Burke had led the Suffolk County Police Department, one of the country's largest law enforcement agencies, from 2012 to 2015. This three-year tenure was marked by turmoil and concluded with his conviction, along with several other officials, on federal charges of obstruction and assault.