Former DEA agent convicted in re-trial

Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - A former DEA agent has been convicted of 7-of-12 counts in a retrial in federal court on Thursday. U.S. Attorney Trini Ross says she respects the jury's decision, further noting that no one is above the law.

Ross says this is not a cause for celebration.

"There is never anything to celebrate when someone in law enforcement misuses the power granted to them to commit crimes such as these. However, these verdicts show that no one, not even a federal law enforcement agent, is above the law," said Ross during a press briefing on Thursday in Buffalo.

Ross has prosecuted civil rights color of law and public corruption cases for the last two decades.

"I know that both of these types of prosecutions of law enforcement officers and public officials are the most difficult cases that are undertaken by prosecutors. This trial team undertook both of those most difficult cases, those most difficult crimes, and they were successful in the outcome," Ross added.

Attorney Joseph Tripi, who was lead prosecutor, says Bongiovanni acted with deceit, and worked with others to traffic drugs with corrupt intent.

"He protected a drug trafficking organization as part of his criminal conspiracy. He's a federally a federal agent convicted with the very same drug traffickers that he was duty bound to investigate, and that's what this jury found," said Tripi during Thursday's press briefing.

He adds the other counts relate to his obstruction of justice, related to various false reports and false statements he made along the way in perpetrating that conspiracy.

"Make no mistake, this jury determined he was a corrupt federal agent, and he violated his oath and duties to protect those that he should have been investigating and arresting," Tripi noted.

A 20-year sentence is the maximum that Bongiovanni faces when he is later sentenced.