Veteran DEA agent sentenced to 4 years for leaking intelligence in Miami bribery conspiracy

By LARRY NEUMEISTER, JIM MUSTIAN and JOSHUA GOODMAN
Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) — A federal judge has sentenced a longtime U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration agent to four years in prison for leaking DEA intelligence to defense lawyers. John Costanzo Jr.’s sentenced was announced Wednesday in Manhattan federal court months after he was found guilty of bribery and honest-services wire fraud. Prosecutors argued Costanzo corrupted the tradecraft he mastered as a narcotics investigator steeped in the world of money laundering, shell companies and encrypted communications. Defense attorneys argued for probation and pointed to Costanzo’s years of service in the DEA. Another DEA supervisor convicted in the case is scheduled to be sentenced next month.