Port Chester ex-police chief makes lesser plea in rant
The former Port Chester police chief accused of threatening his successor and calling him a "rat bastard" in the midst of a missing-evidence probe will be cleared of federal witness-tampering charges if he stays out of trouble for one year.
Joseph Krzeminski, who was given a "deferred prosecution" letter by federal prosecutors Tuesday, also pleaded guilty in White Plains City Court to a pair of bizarre episodes last fall: the harangue against police Capt. John Telesca and his failure to leave a village Board of Trustees executive session when ordered to do so.
Krzeminski, 62, had faced misdemeanor charges of obstructing governmental administration, resisting arrest, criminal trespassing and harassment but was allowed to plead guilty to disorderly conduct, a violation, said Lucian Chalfen, spokesman for the Westchester District Attorney's Office. He faces a fine but no jail or probation and must stay away from Telesca and his wife.
The case was handled in White Plains because Port Chester's judges recused themselves.
In the federal case, the charges of witness tampering and retaliating against a witness will be dropped in a year if Krzeminski adheres to a dozen conditions including staying away from the Telescas, committing no crimes, not possessing weapons and staying on his medications.
"After a thorough investigation, it has been determined that the interest of the United States and your own interest will be best served by deferring prosecution in this district," Assistant U.S. Attorney James McMahon wrote to Krzeminski.
Krzeminski's lawyer in the federal case, Max DiFabio, called the outcome a "just result."
"He's doing fine. He's happy all this is behind him," DiFabio said.
Krzeminski, who retired in January, went on medical leave for an apparent neurological condition in September, about a month after the FBI and Westchester district attorney began probing the disappearance of $27,000 and cocaine from a police evidence room. Telesca was named interim chief.
On Oct. 28, Krzeminski went to Telesca's home. Telesca said Krzeminski threatened to fire him and called him a rat bastard for talking to the feds about what was going on in the department. Two days later, Krzeminski was arrested by his own officers when he wouldn't leave the village board meeting.
After his witness-tampering arrest, Krzeminski was freed on bond to the care of one of his two police officer sons and ordered to undergo a mental health evaluation. He spent more than a week in the hospital and then was on electronic home monitoring until March.
Telesca said in November that though the money remained unaccounted for, the drugs that had been missing turned up, some in another evidence room and others at the county lab. He could not be reached for comment Tuesday evening.