Former Brooklyn prosecutor convicted in gun licensing case

A jury on Tuesday, April 25, 2018, found former Kings County prosecutor John Chambers guilty of bribery and conspiracy in connection with a scheme to get gun-permits for his clients. Credit: Charles Eckert
John Chambers, a former Brooklyn prosecutor who established a profitable boutique law practice helping clients get and hang onto gun licenses, was convicted on Tuesday of bribing a police sergeant for favors at the NYPD and in Nassau County.
Chambers was found guilty on the second day of deliberations in Manhattan federal court of paying off former NYPD Sgt. David Villanueva, 44, of Valley Stream, for more than nine years with a stream of gifts, including dinners, clothes, expensive watches and cash.
The panel of 10 women and two men convicted Chambers of bribery, honest services wire fraud and two counts of conspiracy. He faces a maximum sentence of 50 years in prison, though his actual sentence probably will be much shorter.
U.S. District Judge William Pauley scheduled Chambers’ sentencing for Aug. 9. Defense lawyers Roger Stavis and Steve Brounstein said they were “disappointed” but planned to appeal.
Jurors rejected defense assertions that the gifts were the result of a real friendship, and not bribes, despite testimony from Chambers’ wife that as a transgender man, Chambers valued Villanueva as one of his few male friends, took the cop and his wife out on birthday and sports outings, and included their kids in the gift-giving.
After the verdict, jurors said the transgender aspect of the case came up in deliberations primarily in the form of concern for what Chambers may face in jail.
“There was sympathy for everyone involved,” said juror Joanne Hvala.
During the weeklong trial, Villanueva, who pleaded guilty and agreed to testify in a bid for leniency, said Chambers was one of four license “expediters” who bribed him and described his relationship with Chambers as a “transactional friendship.”
He testified that he felt “obligated” to Chambers as a result of the stream of gifts, expediting permits for his clients and imposing lighter sanctions on clients whose licenses were subject to revocation after domestic violence or other scrapes with the law.
Villanueva also said he used his relationships with colleagues in the Nassau County police department to get favored treatment for Chambers’ clients there, and was paid $2,000 in cash for his help on three cases.

Things to do now on LI Rock climbing? Indoor beach volleyball? Water parks? Arts and crafts? NewsdayTV's Elisa DiStefano and Newsday deputy lifestyle editor Meghan Giannotta have your look at ways to spend your winter break.

Things to do now on LI Rock climbing? Indoor beach volleyball? Water parks? Arts and crafts? NewsdayTV's Elisa DiStefano and Newsday deputy lifestyle editor Meghan Giannotta have your look at ways to spend your winter break.