HARRISBURG, PA — A former narcotics agent with the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office is facing charges for conspiring to launder stolen drug proceeds.
Timothy B. Riley, age 48, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was formerly employed as a Narcotics Agent with the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office Bureau of Narcotics Investigations from 2008 to 2014 and was assigned to the Mobile Street Crimes Unit from 2013 until September 2014, which operated out of Lemoyne, Pennsylvania.
According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, Riley was charged in a one-count information alleging that between June 25, 2014 and September 14, 2014, Riley conspired with others to launder stolen drug proceeds. The information alleges that on June 25, 2014, Riley was notified by an unindicted co-conspirator about a large amount of cash from a coast-to-coast marijuana trafficking organization that he was transporting in a rental truck in Pennsylvania. Riley and other members of the Mobile Street Crimes Unit met the unindicted coconspirator at a truck stop in Carlisle, Pennsylvania and seized approximately $1,770,650 in cash located in the rental truck.
After the seizure, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, joined by Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, conducted a full investigation, revealing that more than $800,000 was stolen by the driver of the truck aided by at least one other unindicted co-conspirator, prior to the seizure. The charges filed today allege that after the seizure, Riley received three cash payments from the unindicted coconspirators, totaling $48,000. Riley then deposited and conducted other financial transactions with that money, knowing it was stolen proceeds of drug trafficking.
“It is always a sad day for law enforcement when a person sworn to uphold the law is charged with violating it,” said United States Attorney Freed. “It is vital that members of law enforcement be held to account for illegal conduct. Working with our partners in federal, state and local law enforcement we will continue to attack the scourge of illegal drugs in every way we can, including going after the ill-gotten gains that result from drug dealing. I want to thank our law enforcement colleagues for their hard work in this case, and emphasize the true partnership that we enjoy with Pennsylvania Attorney General Shapiro and his office, whose cooperation was vital in this investigation. This incident, which took place under a prior Attorney General, is in no way reflective of the hard working men and women in the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General.”
“Law enforcement officers know better than anyone: crime doesn’t pay,” said Michael Harpster, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Philadelphia Division. “This defendant allegedly violated his sworn oath for financial gain – at the cost of his integrity, his career, and potentially, his freedom.”
“Offenders, no matter who they are, who choose to abuse the public trust will be held accountable,” said Ed Wirth, Acting Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation. “The filing of today’s information underscores the commitment of IRS Criminal Investigation to work in a collaborative effort to promote honest and ethical government.”
“I want to thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office for its work on this case. My office assisted fully with this investigation, and we will continue doing so,” Attorney General Josh Shapiro said. “This individual’s employment with the Office of Attorney General ended in 2014, under the previous administration. Since I was sworn in as Attorney General in January of 2017, I have made restoring integrity to this office a top priority, and we are succeeding.”
The case was investigated by the Harrisburg Offices of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, with the full cooperation of the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General. Assistant U.S. Attorney James T. Clancy is prosecuting the case.
Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is 20 years of imprisonment.
