RIVERSIDE, California – Former Murrieta Police Detective Paul John Gollogly, 74, of Temecula, pleaded guilty today to a federal criminal charge for soliciting bribes from a foreign businessperson who was seeking immigration benefits in the United States.
Gollogly pleaded guilty to one count of bribery in a plea agreement filed in Riverside federal court. He faces a statutory maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison at his January 19, 2024 sentencing hearing, but prosecutors have agreed to seek no more than 18 months’ imprisonment.
According to his plea agreement, Gollogly began working for the Murrieta Police Department in March 2013 to lead its purported anti-money laundering program. In this role, he handled and directed confidential informants registered with the department, including non-U.S. citizens who needed authorization from the U.S. government to enter and work in the United States.
Gollogly registered an individual, identified in court documents as “Person A”, as a confidential informant with the Murrieta Police Department in April 2013. Person A was a foreign national and a wealthy business person with significant business interests in multiple countries, including the United States.
From April 2013 to February 2020, Gollogly helped Person A obtain various immigration benefits, including authorization from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to allow Person A to enter and work in the United States for one year at a time and facilitation of Person A’s physical entry into the United States.
In exchange for this help with immigration authorities, Gollogly solicited and received benefits from Person A, including tickets to shows in New York and Miami, the hiring of a Gollogly family friend to work at one of Person A’s businesses, and other favors.
The FBI investigated this matter, with assistance from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Office of Professional Responsibility. Assistant United States Attorneys Julius J. Nam and Courtney N. Williams are prosecuting this case.
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Key Facts
- State: California
- Category: Public Corruption
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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