Two former Philadelphia police officers plead guilty in drug case

Two former Philadelphia police officers pleaded guilty Monday to federal charges of conspiracy and drug possession for their involvement in a plot to steal heroin from a drug dealer and resell it for cash.

Robert Snyder, 30, and James Venziale, 32, were arrested in the scheme last summer. A third alleged coconspirator, former officer Mark Williams, has pleaded not guilty and is scheduled to stand trial Feb. 28.

Snyder faces at least 10 years in prison, and a maximum of life. Venziale faces at least five years, and up to 160. Both are scheduled to be sentenced in May.

"He's taken responsibility for what he did, and we're hoping for the best," Snyder's attorney, Will Spade, said after the court hearing.

Venziale's attorney, John Renner, declined to comment.

Last year, 11 officers were arrested on charges ranging from drug dealing to rape to murder, prompting Police Commissioner Charles H. Ramsey to say that restoring the department's integrity was a priority.

The indictment against Snyder, Venziale, and Williams alleges that the men hatched a plan with reputed drug dealer Angel Ortiz to steal 300 grams of heroin, then share the profits when it was sold. They allegedly conducted a fake traffic stop in May to disguise the robbery. While in uniform, investigators said, Venziale and Williams pretended to arrest Ortiz moments after Ortiz had received a shipment of heroin from a courier.

The staged stop took place in view of the courier, so that the courier would report to his supplier that the drugs had been confiscated. The officers then released Ortiz and planned to give the drugs to a man they believed was a drug trafficker. In fact, he was an undercover Drug Enforcement Administration agent.

Snyder and Venziale said little during their appearances before U.S. District Judge Harvey Bartle III. Both have been free on bail since shortly after their arrests in July.

Snyder's wife, Christal, also was charged with involvement in the plan, along with Ortiz and two others who are accused of conspiring with the officers and Christal Snyder.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Maureen McCartney said in court that Venziale would continue to cooperate with the government's investigation, and that he might testify in future proceedings.

Before they were fired last summer, Snyder was assigned to the 25th Police District. Venziale and Williams worked in the 39th.

Snyder and Venziale are childhood friends who grew up together in Kensington and attended the same high school. When Venziale went to the 39th District, he was partnered with Williams. At some point, according to a federal indictment, Snyder introduced Williams and Venziale to Ortiz, who has children with Christal Snyder's sister.

Investigators have said they have extensive audio and video recordings of conversations among the former officers as they planned the heist.

In addition to the heroin theft, the former officers were also accused of planning to steal cash from a "mobster" they believed was involved with illegal gambling. That scheme, which would have involved making a false car stop, seizing his money, and later laundering it, was ultimately called off.

After Monday's hearings, McCarthy said Snyder and Venziale had taken responsibility for their actions.

"Mr. Snyder, from the moment he was arrested, seemed to understand what he had done," she said.

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