Auburn (WSYR-TV) - Former Auburn police officer Brian Hutchings was sentenced to between one and three years in prison for bribery, misconduct, coercion and a variety of other charges. He was found guilty in March.
Hutchings was suspended without pay in March 2010 after he was arrested on a 14-count indictment that included five felony charges. He was fired in April.
A jury found Hutchings guilty on all counts, including felony charges of receiving a bribe and second-degree receiving an award for official misconduct. Misdemeanor charges included 10 counts of official misconduct, three counts of coercion, and one count each of falsifying business records, offering a false statement, providing false information and obstructing governmental administration.
The indictment against Hutchings said he physically intimidated people to whom he owed money in an attempt to not repay them.
The charges also included tipping off a truck company on where the Department of Transportation was conducting truck inspections.
Former Auburn cop found guilty
March 18
Auburn (WSYR-TV) - A jury found former Auburn police officer Brian Hutchings guilty of bribery, misconduct, coercion and a variety of other charges.
Hutchings was suspended without pay in March 2010 after he was arrested on a 14-count indictment that included five felony charges. He was fired in April.
The felony charges included receiving a bribe and second-degree receiving an award for official misconduct. Misdemeanor charges included 10 counts of official misconduct, three counts of coercion, and one count each of falsifying business records, offering a false statement, providing false information and obstructing governmental administration.
The jury found him guilty on all counts, but his attorney still maintains his innocence. Lawyer Emil Rossi says he and his client plan to appeal all the charges.
Rossi says the charges Hutchings was found guilty of Tuesday stem from work the former officer was having done at his home. He says Hutchings disagreed with the company doing the work about whether it was actually paid for.
The indictment against Hutchings said he physically intimidated people to whom he owed money in an attempt to not repay them.
The charges also included tipping off a truck company on where the Department of Transportation was conducting truck inspections.
As Hutchings prepares for sentencing, his attorney says he'll ask the court to consider his client's life and service before the charges were filed. "When he appears for sentencing, we're certainly going to ask the court that the measure of his life is certainly more than matter that brings us before the court for sentencing. We will present his biography and his life," Rossi said.
Rossi says he is also representing the former officer on unrelated charges filed in May. In that case, Hutchings is accused of stealing more than $3,000 while working as a treasurer for the Police Benevolent Association over seven years. Rossi did not want to comment on where that case stands.
Brian Hutchings' sentencing is scheduled for May 3, and Rossi plans to appeal the charges after that date.
Former police officer pleads not guilty to new charges
May 18, 2010
Auburn (WSYR-TV) - A former Auburn Police officer is facing new charges of stealing more than $3,000 while working as a treasurer for the Police Benevolent Association over a seven year time frame.
Brian Hutchings was escorted by State Police from Cayuga County Court Tuesday after pleading not guilty to stealing money from the department's PBA. Court documents allege Hutchings 'obtained money from multiple members and donors and kept the money for himself.' The court documents also accuse Hutchings of fraudulently obtaining at least $2,000 from the association on at least one occasion.
Hutchings was previously charged with bribery and misconduct. He was fired by the Auburn Police Department back in April.
Hutchings, 48, is also accused of tipping off where state Department of Transportation inspection stations were. At the time those incidents occurred, Hutchings was a commercial vehicle enforcement officer for the police department. By tipping off businesses, non-compliant trucks were able to avoid the inspections, and compliant trucks would visit to boost their rating to ensure continued DOT permits.
Police officer charged with bribery, misconduct, fired
April 16, 2010
Auburn (WSYR-NY) - Auburn Police Officer Brian Hutchings, who has been charged with bribery and misconduct, was fired on Friday.
Hutchings was suspended without pay in March after he was arrested on a 14-count indictment that included five felony charges.
He is also accused of tipping off an individual to DOT truck inspections and falsifying police reports.
City officials had until Friday to determine whether or not Hutchings, 48, of Metcalf Drive in Auburn, should be fired or reinstated.
The veteran officer could be sentenced to seven years in prison if convicted.
The charges stem from accusations that Hutchings accepted bribes and physically intimidated people he owed money. He is scheduled to appear in Cayuga County Court on May 25.
At Hutchings' arraignment in March, Auburn Police revealed that they had been investigating the alleged "rogue cop" for two years.
Auburn police officer arraigned on 14 count indictment
Auburn (WSYR-TV) - An Auburn Police Officer was arraigned Thursday in Cayuga County Court on a 14-count indictment which includes charges of official misconduct and coercion.
Brian Hutchings has been suspended without pay.
Court documents obtained by NewsChannel 9 describe officer Hutchings as a police officer acting like a rogue cop.
According to the indictment, Hutchings assaulted and arrested someone without provocation. Hutchings is also accused of physically intimidating people whom he owed money to in an attempt to not repay them.
Prosecutors also charge Hutchings with tipping off an individual to DOT truck inspection stop locations, dates and times in exchange for something which wasn't defined in the court documents.
Hutchings is also accused of falsifying police reports.
Auburn Police Chief Gary Giannotta says that the whole situation makes police work even more difficult. "To have the rumor, belief that there is a police officer out there that out of control makes it very difficult."
Following his arraignment Hutchings was released on his own recognizance.
At a news conference Thursday, Auburn Police said they had been investigating Hutchings for about two years. Cayuga County DA Jon Budelmann says the fact Hutchings is a police officer made it difficult to get people to come forward, further complicating this investigation. They say it appears Hutchings acted alone, and that there's also no need to open any previous cases Hutchings was involved with as an Auburn Police Officer. "It's always a sad day when A police officer is arrested for an offense, particularly incurred in the line of duty or involving his professional responsibilities," said Budelmann.
Brian Hutchings family was in the news last year, when the man who killed his son, Tim Hutchings, in a car crash, was sentenced.
Tim Hutchings' friend, Nicholas Raymond, was driving without a license and speeding when he slammed into a tree. Raymond and a passenger left the scene leaving Tim Hutchings dying inside the vehicle. Raymond received a 60 day jail sentence and five years probation.
At the time, Brian Hutchings was outraged with the short sentence. "60 days for the driver and the passenger got six months for buying the beer and providing, there's something wrong somewhere," Brian Hutchings said following Raymond' sentencing in June 2009.
