Irvington Police Chief Uses Village Letterhead to Support Mangone

IRVINGTON, NY - Irvington Police Chief Michael Cerone was one of more than 40 people who asked a judge to spare corrupt Westchester lawyer Anthony Mangone from prison, but Cerone did so using official village stationary, reports The Journal News.

The letter, which Cerone sent as a friend of Mangone’s to the federal court, praised Mangone and said he was a person who could be rehabilitated.

Mangone, who U.S. District Judge Colleen McMahon called a “dirty lawyer,” was sentenced Monday to 18 months in prison on federal bribery charges.

“Anthony is that person that can be helped — a man who is working his way back to where he should be,” Cerone wrote, as reported by The Journal News.

Irvington Mayor Brian Smith told The Journal News that he did not have a problem with the content of Cerone’s letter, which was written in a personal capacity, but he did not like that it was on village stationary. However, there are no specific village ordinances prohibiting it.

“I just don’t like use of the letterhead for anything (unrelated to village business),” Smith told The Journal News. “Whether it’s a federal sentencing or you’re trying to get someone into the best day camp ever .. because (using the letterhead) you’re speaking on behalf of the village and this case he certainly is not.”

Click here to read the full story on The Journal News website.