Report: Cop pleads guilty to stealing guns from the 9th Precinct

Nicholas Mina, the cop who reportedly stole guns from lockers at the 9th Precinct on East Fifth Street, pleaded guilty today.

Per the Daily News:

The 32-year-old officer agreed to serve 15 ½ years in state prison, avoiding the 20 year maximum sentence, for being part of a large drug and gun ring.

The four-year veteran of the NYPD was reportedly hooked on prescription drugs, and gave four stolen guns and a bulletproof vest to his drug dealer to pay off debts.

Mina is expected to be sentenced on Nov. 7.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Report: Former Internet millionaire part of 9th Precinct gun heist story

[Image via New York Songlines]

How does the 9th Precinct fare in handing out quality-of-life summonses?

You may have seen this earlier today over at Gothamist... Last year, the NYPD issued 348,851 "pink slip" summons for a variety of quality-of-life infractions, including open container, public urination and riding a bike on a sidewalk. (And maybe all three at once!)

Now, students at the Columbia School of Journalism complied all these offenses by precinct/neighborhood... you can find the results in The New York World, including a cool interactive map.

How did we fare at the 9th Precinct? The neighborhood didn't even rate in the top of any category. For instance, the 90th Precinct (Williamsburg) issued the most summonses for open container last year with 6,192. The 9th Precinct had 1,626 ... How about public urination? Top: 115th Precinct in Queens with 1,808; 9th Precinct, 224.

Wonder how the 9th Precinct would have faired with summonses for woo?

[The New York World]

Report: Former Internet millionaire part of 9th Precinct gun heist story

The story of the officer who allegedly stole guns from a locker room at the 9th Precinct on East Fifth Street is getting really, well, fucked up, for lack of a better description on a Saturday morning.

According to published reports, the officer, Nicholas Mina, is addicted to prescription painkillers. He reportedly stole the weapons to pay a drug debt to a Queens drug and gun dealer, prosecutors said yesterday.

Police also arrested Ivan Chavez, described by Assistant District Attorney Chris Prevost as "a prolific and daily drug dealer" of heroin, oxycodone and other prescription drugs, as the Post reported.

That's one part of the story. Also involved in all this is Jennifer Sultan, who along with her boyfriend Adam Cohen, sold their Web streaming-media company Live On Line for a reported $70 million in 2000.

The couple is now penniless, living in a 10-room penthouse with a private elevator on East 17th Street. They have filed for Chapter 11, per the Post.

However, the NYPD also arrested Sultan for, as prosecutors said, pulling "large-scale drug deals" with Chavez in Queens. From the Post: "Prosecutors said cops found at least 60,000 pain pills that Sultan had sold in Chavez's Woodhaven apartment when they raided it on Thursday."

You can read the rest of the Post article here ... and the piece from the Times is here.

Meanwhile, I'll await the piece in Vanity Fair this fall about how this $70 million Internet couple lost it all.

An article on the upcoming summer in the Hamptons from May 2000 in the Observer noted that Cohen and Sultan rented a $400,000 house in Quogue with 11 bedrooms. They also had a pool installed for $35,000. Said the broker about the couple: "There are people who just don't know what to do with [their money]."

Report: Cop arrested in 9th Precinct gun theft

The NYPD arrested a fellow cop last night on charges that he was breaking into lockers at the 9th Precinct on East Fifth Street and stealing guns that were sold on the street, the Post reports today.

Alleged gun-trafficking officer Nicholas Mina, 31, boosted four 9mm firearms from the seventh-floor locker room at the Ninth Precinct in the East Village, a law-enforcement source said yesterday.

Mina — a six-year veteran who worked midnight patrol tours — was assigned to guard the lockers as part of a 24-hour security detail created by department brass after the embarrassing thefts began in February.

The NYPD also arrested three civilians involved with the thefts, the Post notes.

Previously.

[Image via New York Songlines]

Report: Officers now patrolling 9th Precinct locker room

A few weeks ago, the Post reported that someone has stolen four 9mm handguns, two bulletproof vests and other items from a locker room at the Ninth Precinct in recent months.

Today, the Post says that department officials have "assigned an around-the-clock security detail" to the locker room, which is inaccessible to anyone walking in the station's East Fifth Street entrance.

Per the Post: "The city is worried about keeping crime down on the streets, but they can't even control it in their own precincts," one source fumed.

Report: Police guns stolen from 9th Precinct

Since February, someone has stolen four 9mm handguns, two bulletproof vests and other items from a locker room at the Ninth Precinct, the Post reports today.

Despite an Internal Affairs investigation, the thefts have continued, usually during the night shift at the station on East Fifth Street between First Avenue and Second Avenue.

"Whoever is doing this is pretty ballsy. I can’t believe the department, especially the Internal Affairs Bureau, isn’t taking this more seriously," an unnamed source tells the Post.

The NYPD believe it us an inside job — the room is inaccessible to anyone walking in off the street, the Post notes. And nearly 180 people work in the station house.

And how is the thief penetrating the lockers?

"If you just bang on the lockers they pop open," said one source.

[Image via New York Songlines]

Report: 9th Precinct adding more cops to crack down on nightlife-related problems

Capt. John Cappelmann, the 9th precinct's new commanding officer, told residents that eight to 10 officers would join his ranks next month to help crack down on nightlife-related problems, DNAinfo reported.

During a Community Council meeting Tuesday night, "Cappelmann said he was responding to concerns he has heard from East Village residents since taking over the command about a month ago. Many residents turned out for Tuesday night's meeting to complain about noise and unruly crowds emanating from the neighborhood's densely packed bars."

He said that he'd assign the extra officers to the midnight conditions and midnight anticrime teams. (And how about a Sunday Brunch conditions team?)

Is the 9th Precinct for rent?

Oh, probably not! But this Streeteasy listing gave us a jolt (and laugh!) of sorts... It's a rental (one bedroom, one bathroom!) at 323 E. Fifth St. For $20,000. Then you start looking at the details...

The 9th Precinct is at 321 E. 5th St. ... the building directly to the east is 325 ... This listing is certainly a mistake of some kind... Or maybe the city is renting out some of the extra space to help close the budget gap...

9th Precinct community topics: Diablo Royale, bike lanes

I commend anyone who takes the time to attend the various community meetings... and Jill did so last night at the 9th Precinct's Monthly confab....

A few highlights via Blah Blog Blah:

• "There was a complaint about Diablo Royale, the crowds, noise and violations of their agreement to not use the backyard after 11pm."

• "There was discussion about the bike lanes on 1st and 2nd Avenues. The police explained that they are distributing pamphlets and issuing summons to everybody who isn't following the rules".

Lordy, we may have to issue rewards to anyone who receives one of these pamphlets... In fact, I may set my bike on fire while riding on the sidewalk up and down Fifth Street between First Avenue and Second Avenue just to get one...

Reminders tonight: the Ninth Precinct Community Counsel meeting

The Precinct is between First Avenue and Second Avenue...

Previously on EV Grieve:
NYPD hosting meeting between Sin Sin and neighbors tonight

East Village noise wars new battlefront: Sin Sin/Leopard Lounge

Why the president of the East Fifth Street Block Association carries a baseball bat

'The neighborhood will not rest until you are gone and Sin Sin’s license is revoked'

Police beat

As the sign shows, the 9th Precinct on Fifth Street between First Avenue and Second Avenue held an event for the community featuring games for kids, free pens and pencils from the DA's office, safety tips and cops on stilts.

Oh, I didn't ask them about this. Or this.