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Sunnyside Resident Sentenced For Gun Smuggling

April 19, 2013 By Christian Murray

A former NYPD cop who lives in Sunnyside was sentenced to nearly four years in prison yesterday for his role in transporting M-16 rifles, handguns and cigarettes from New Jersey to New York

Ali Oklu, 36, who was a cop at the time, helped smuggle $1 million in illegal goods across state lines, which included three M-16 rifles, one shotgun, 16 handguns, 12 stolen slot machines and thousands of cartons of stolen cigarettes, according to court documents.

Oklu was recruited to join the conspiracy in early October 2010 by William Masso, a dirty-cop who launched the scheme.  The men used their law enforcement credentials to help cover up their crimes and would tell officials that they were transporting the items to be sold at police auctions, prosecutors charged.

Oklu worked with Masso and 11 other current and former cops to carry out the scheme.

In total, Oklu was paid $35,000 for his role in smuggling the firearms and stolen goods.

Oklu used some of his earnings to lease a 2011 Mercedes-Benz convertible, which he will maintain possession of until the end of April, according to prosecutors.

“Ali Oklu betrayed the NYPD and the fine men and women who serve there so honorably,” said Preet Bharara, the US Attorney for the Southern District of New York, in a statement.  “He conspired to bring firearms into New York where his brother and sister officers – as far as he knew – might have been potentially in the firing line.”

In addition to his prison term, Judge William Pauley sentenced Oklu to three years of supervised release and ordered him to pay a $7,500 fine and a $200 special assessment fee.

Judge Pauley also required Oklu to forfeit $35,000, representing his share of the crime proceeds.

Judge Pauley told Oklu, a naturalized citizen from Turkey, “This country has been very good to you and your parents. It’s remarkable that you would betray that.”

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10 Comments

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jack

who makes guns the government who to blame the government its all about money.. as to oklu’s story its sad the FBI cant go after real criminals and make up crimes to arrest people and destroy people’s lives. so who is really corrupt?

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Mayor McCheese

$35,000/4yr sentence (ignoring forfeiture of funds) is $8750/yr; ~$162/wk; ~$4/hr. If you’re going to do stupid illegal acts, at least check your risk/reward ratio. I can understand if a higher up pressured him into this by threats to his career but he could have just taken 18hr/wk at Starbucks and made out better.

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Commontator

The FBI is always pulling these conspiracies @sam. It’s about time we tell the government to stop entrapping individuals and fight true crime like people not picking up after their dogs or people who play loud music in their car. They’re a hazard to themselves and others. BTW Guns never killed anybody alone, someone has to pull the trigger. The bombing in Boston killed 3 people nobody had anything to say about bombs. We need to stop bombs from getting into the wrong hands. It also wouldn’t be UNCONSTITUTIONAL. I love how people are always talking about how we should get our rights taken away.

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Rosie

I know Ali’s parent , very respectable , they did their best in raising their
children.Hopefully Ali has learned a valuable lesson , freedom is worth more than anything material money can buy.

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johnny law

Did he work at the 108th? If so, weird that this is 2nd cop in news this week with 108th connection. The other being the cop who killed her little kid and the kid’s father, then herself, over in Brooklyn.
If not, never mind.

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Pat

So very sad .
The worst betrayal by a supposed trusted policeman.
Thank God the majority are honest ..

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