A corrupt former Berwyn police officer who cased homes while
on duty and then took part in burglaries with members of a violent crime ring
linked to the Chicago Outfit was sentenced today to about 4 years in prison.
James Formato, 45, pleaded guilty in federal court nearly
two years ago to racketeering and obstruction of justice, acknowledging that he
passed sensitive law enforcement information to mobsters and often acted as a
lookout for robberies and burglaries, sometimes while he was on duty.
Formato cooperated with prosecutors, wearing a wire to
gather information against other members of the ring and providing testimony
that helped lead to the convictions of six defendants, including Michael
"the Large Guy" Sarno, who headed the crew. Sarno was sentenced to 25
years in prison in February.
U.S. District Judge Ronald Guzman imposed the 47-month
prison sentence that both Formato's attorneys as well as prosecutors had sought
in return for his cooperation with investigators.
Members of the crime ring bombed a rival video poker
business and pulled off home invasions and jewelry heists that netted nearly $2
million.
Formato admitted to using his position as a police officer
to help his criminal associates. In one case, Formato arranged for another
member of the ring to spray graffiti on the home of a coin dealer targeted for
burglary. Formato later went to the house as if he were investigating the
vandalism, but he was actually checking out the home's locks and interior.
The first home he burglarized, Formato said in court,
belonged to an elderly woman who lived down the street from him. He was sent
there to check on her welfare but noticed "it was a good place (to
rob)," he said. He and a burglar friend returned a few hours after his
shift ended.
Formato, who had no criminal record before he was arrested,
wrote in a letter to the judge that he became involved with the crime ring at a
time when he "felt like my life was falling apart." He wrote that he
was devastated by his wife's infidelity and began abusing alcohol as his
marriage fell apart. Soon, he wrote, he was deeply involved with the crime
ring.
"As strange as it sounds, I don't even recognize the
person who did the things I did during that awful time," he wrote.
Formato, wearing a brown suit and speaking in a deep voice,
accepted responsibility for his crimes.
"I made a very bad decision at a very low point in my
life."
"I really feel that I need to apologize to the people
that I took an oath to protect," he said as he stood and faced the judge
with his hands resting on a table. "I went rogue and that was not anywhere
in my plan for life."
Assistant U.S. Attorney Tinos Diamantatos said Formato was
"a good cop" for the first 10 years of his career, but that his
descent into crime had to be punished.
"There could be no worse abuse of trust than a sworn
law enforcement officer, a civil servant... ultimately abusing that power in
trying to enrich him or herself," Diamantatos said in court.
However, soon after federal agents confronted Formato about
his involvement in the crime ring in 2006, he "completely and candidly
acknowledged his involvement" and later provided crucial testimony against
other defendants, Diamantatos said.