"Cop Gone Bad - Charged with Additional Crimes"

"BADGE OF DISHONOR"

Poughkeepsie Journal

Ex-Police Officer Expected to Plead to Robbery Today

Thursday, September 13, 2001

Larry-Fisher Hertz

KINGSTON - A former East Fishkill Police Lieutenant who has already admitted robbing a Town of Poughkeepsie deli is expected  to plead guilty in Ulster County Court today in the armed stickup of a New Paltz hair salon.

John Steele, 55, was indicted earlier this year by  an Ulster County Grand Jury on a charge of first-degree robbery.

Steele is accused of walking into the Mane Line hair salon on Route 299 on March 1, wearing a wig and carrying a handgun, and fleeing with an undetermined amount of cash.

State Police arrested Steele a short time later at the Gateway Diner in Highland, N.Y. about seven miles from the hair salon. A search of his car produced a loaded handgun, a wig and money police believe was stolen from the salon.

Steele's case was scheduled to be heard Wednesday before Ulster County Court Judge J. Michael Burhn, but it was postponed for a day following a conference with his lawyer, Noel Tepper, the Judge and members of the district attorney's office.

Guilty in Another Case

Steele was in Dutchess County Court on Monday, when he admitted pulling an armed robbery Feb. 27 at the Rite Stop deli on Route 376 in the Town of Poughkeepsie. He faces a sentence of up to 10 years in prison for that crime.

Law Enforcement authorities also are investigating Steele's possible involvement in the Feb. 22 robbery at the Rhinebeck Savings Bank branch on Route 9 in the Town of Poughkeepsie, across from Marist College. Town of Poughkeepsie Police are reportedly planning to meet with FBI agents and federal prosecutors later this month to discuss that case.

Steele served as a Dutchess County Sheriff's Deputy from 1984 through 1987. He joined the East Fishkill Police in 1987 and was promoted to lieutenant four years later.

Steele was dismissed from the force last fall after the town board concluded he had used his position as a police officer to avoid questioning in a criminal case and had lost drug samples

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