Wednesday, March 28, 2018

Former NYPD cop pulls 14 years as gangster’s enforcer

When Redinel Dervishaj, a violent Albanian gangster, was running protection rackets in Queens, he had a secret weapon in his arsenal: a New York City police officer who worked as his enforcer.

Besnik Llakatura, 38, was sentenced to 14 years and 3 months in prison. “The defendant’s crimes — committed by a man entrusted with a badge, a gun and a solemn duty to protect and serve the community — are nothing short of shocking,” prosecutors wrote. Last March, Dervishaj was sentenced to 57 years in prison. A few months later, another member of his crew, Denis Nikolla, was sentenced to 18 years in prison.
Even after Llakatura was arrested, he continued to pursue his victims. Llakatura sent members of his family to find the owner of a restaurant in an attempt to retaliate against him for cooperating with the government.