At the age of 83, Thomas Spota, a former Suffolk County District Attorney who was found guilty of corruption and given a five-year prison sentence, has returned to the legal profession as a part-time law clerk. Serious concerns concerning accountability in our legal system and the privileges granted to individuals with connections in the legal establishment are brought up by his return to the practice of law while being supervised by his former defense lawyer.
Corrupt Former DA Returns to Legal Work
Despite his criminal conviction, Thomas Spota, the disgraced 83-year-old former Suffolk County District Attorney, now works as a “nonlawyer administrative clerk” for a Long Island law firm. The once-powerful prosecutor was sentenced to 5 years in federal prison after being convicted of conspiracy, obstruction of justice, and witness tampering related to covering up a police brutality case.
Tom Spota, a Long Island Suffolk County DA, spent 3 years in federal prison for obstruction of justice and Civil Rights violations. Chief of Police Jimmy Burke got 4. Investigation took 2 1/2 years. They were interfering murder investigations. pic.twitter.com/C04qbPdai6
— Goatboy (@Goatboy991994) April 12, 2025
In a twist that demonstrates the tight-knit nature of the legal community, Spota now works under Anthony LaPinta, the attorney who previously defended him in court. This arrangement has raised eyebrows among government watchdogs who question whether such opportunities would be available to ordinary citizens convicted of serious crimes.
Cover-Up of Police Brutality
Spota’s downfall stemmed from his involvement in covering up a 2012 assault where then-police Chief James Burke and three detectives beat a handcuffed suspect named Christopher Loeb. The initial federal investigation into the beating was closed due to witness intimidation, showing the extent of Spota’s corrupt influence in the county’s justice system.
Ex-Long Island DA jailed for corruption resurfaces as part-time, 83-year-old law clerk https://t.co/VWTYUX8Y4w pic.twitter.com/jNfHVvOJxV
— New York Post (@nypost) June 11, 2025
The U.S. Attorney’s Long Island Criminal Division later reopened the case, leading to Burke pleading guilty and receiving a 46-month prison sentence. Spota and his former deputy Christopher McPartland, were convicted for their roles in the cover-up, forcing both men to resign from their positions and ultimately resulting in their disbarment.
Questions of Justice and Accountability
At his sentencing, Spota expressed shame, stating, “I’ve also left [my family] with a shattered legacy and the stain of being a convicted felon.” The court ordered him to pay a $100,000 fine in addition to his prison sentence, a punishment many critics argue was insufficient given the severity of his abuse of his position as the county’s top law enforcement officer.
LaPinta defended the arrangement: “Mr. Spota has been under my direct supervision as an administrative clerk in my law office during his work-release designation and current supervised release sentence.” The situation highlights the ongoing debate about whether former officials who violate the public trust should be allowed to return to work in the same field where they committed their crimes.
Burke, the police chief at the center of the original assault case, continues to face legal troubles with additional charges filed against him in 2023 for a separate incident. Spota’s quiet return to the legal profession is a stark reminder of how power and connections can sometimes allow even convicted criminals to maintain footholds in professional circles that might remain closed to others with similar records.
Sources:
https://twitter.com/nypost/status/1932924207395967285