Ex-Paterson cop who led the infamous 'robbery squad' reports to federal prison

PATERSON — Convicted former Paterson Police Sgt. Michael Cheff started serving his prison sentence this week while his lawyers continue to appeal his conspiracy conviction in the infamous robbery squad case.

Cheff, who was convicted last May and sentenced to 33 months in prison in September, was allowed to delay his incarceration until after the holidays as he worked on his appeal, according to court records.

Cheff reported to Gilmer Federal Correctional Institution in Glenville, West Virginia, on Thursday, prison officials said.

None of the rogue cops who testified against Cheff, who is their former supervisor, is being held at the same West Virginia prison, according to federal records.

Eudy Ramos is at a prison in Georgia, Jonathan Bustios is in Michigan, Frank Toledo is in Texas and Daniel Pent is in Kentucky. Ramos, Bustios and Toledo got two-year sentences, while Pent is set to serve 18 months.

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The sixth member of the robbery squad, Matthew Torres, was given probation. Cheff’s underlings admitted they robbed and assaulted people they illegally stopped in Paterson and testified that their sergeant coached them through their crimes and shared in the money they stole.

Cheff is appealing the conspiracy conviction, asserting that he was not a direct participant in the behavior of his subordinates. But the former sergeant has not appealed his conviction for falsification of a police report.

Joe Malinconico is editor of Paterson Press. Email: editor@patersonpress.com

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Paterson NJ ex-cop Michael Cheff begins federal prison sentence