Crime & Safety

More Details on VA Police Chief Charged in 'Cannibal Cop' Case

The employment status of Bedford V.A. Police Chief Richard Meltz remains uncertain, as V.A. officials could not comment on the matter.

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, according to the Manhattan Attorney General's office.Β 

Meltz, 65, along withΒ Robert C. Asch, a former high school librarian, were linked to that case, arrested and charged with conspiracy to "kidnap, torture, rape and kill women" according to a press release issued by Manhattan U.S. Attorney's office.Β 

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Several news outlets spoke with Meltz's attorney and family members, shedding some light on the life of the police chief charged with conspiracy to rape and murder.

In response to an email from the Huffington Post seeking comment, Meltz's attorney Peter Brill said Meltz "is a devoted husband, a loving father and a dedicated public servant. He never had any plan, intent or desire to see anyone hurt or killed at any time in real life. For anyone to suggest otherwise, despite his fantasy role-playing, is ludicrous."

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Brill also said Meltz's wife was aware of Meltz's activities, but thought it was purely fantasy, the HuffPost reports.

"She's very concerned about her husband," Brill said, according to the HuffPost.Β 

Speaking with the New York Daily News,Β Meltz'sΒ brother, DonΒ Meltz, 67, said he would be surprised to find out thatΒ Meltz'sΒ conspiracy was based in reality.

β€œI would be shocked if it was real but I wouldn’t be shocked if it was a fantasy thing . . . sometimes he goes into fantasy,” Don Meltz told the Daily News.Β 

The employment status ofΒ MeltzΒ at theΒ BedfordΒ V.A. Medical Center remains unclear, as V.A. officials could not comment on the case.Β 

KristenΒ Pressly, of the V.A. Medical Center today confirmed that MeltzΒ is employed by the V.A., and provided the following statement:

"Our first priority is the safety of our veterans, their family members and our staff, and at this time we have no additional information, but we areΒ  cooperating fully with federal authorities in this ongoing investigation,"Β PresslyΒ said.

Much ofΒ Meltz'sΒ background remains hazy, as both hisΒ LinkedInΒ andΒ Facebook profiles are set to private.Β 

MeltzΒ andΒ AschΒ are charged with conspiring to carry out the plot from as far back as the spring of 2011,Β according to a report from theΒ HuffingtonΒ Post.Β 

The two were tied to the "Cannibal Cop," former New York police officer Gilberto Valle, who was convicted in March of conspiring to kidnap, cook, kill and eat women.Β 

While there was no mention ofΒ cannibilismΒ in the charges brought againstΒ Meltz, he andΒ AschΒ are accused of conspiring to kidnap, rape and kill multiple victims, including the family of a co-conspirator as well as a woman who turned out to be an undercover FBI agent, according to the HuffPost.Β 

MeltzΒ was arrested Sunday, and tried to kill himself Monday while in federal lockup in lower Manhattan,Β according to the New York Daily News.Β 

MeltzΒ andΒ AschΒ are being held without bail after an initial court appearance on Monday, theΒ HuffingtonΒ Post reports.Β 

Prosecutors told the magistrate judge thatΒ MeltzΒ was overheard discussing a plot to murder his wife of 42 years, as well as directingΒ AschΒ to purchase ataserΒ to use in their plot, according to theΒ HuffingtonΒ Post.

TheΒ taserΒ was recovered whenΒ AschΒ was arrested Monday morning, according to theΒ HuffPost.Β 

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