According to a report in the Times of Northwest Indiana, a former East Chicago police commander has plead guilty to cocaine distribution charges, marking a significant development in a case that surfaced less than three months ago with a grand jury indictment.

Louis Arcuri Jr., 55, acknowledged supplying an individual, identified as “Individual A” in court documents, with cocaine on June 11, 2021, while he was on duty as an East Chicago police officer. Shockingly, he was armed with his service weapon at the time of the offense.

During his appearance in federal court, Arcuri entered guilty pleas to two enhancements: one for possessing a dangerous weapon and another for the abuse of his position of trust. These enhancements could potentially lead to a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison.

Presenting himself in an orange jumpsuit, Arcuri has been in custody at the Porter County Jail since his arrest on February 29. The specifics of his detention, including whether he is being held without bail, remain undisclosed. Despite a pretrial bond report filed on March 4, its details have not been made public. Moreover, Arcuri waived his right to a detention hearing, a procedure where a judge evaluates the necessity of bail based on various factors.

During the plea hearing presided over by Magistrate John E. Martin, Arcuri was accompanied by his attorney, John Cantrell. Representing the government were Assistant U.S. Attorneys David Nozick and Thomas McGrath. Despite the gravity of the charges, little additional information about the case was divulged during the hearing. Nozick merely reiterated the contents of the grand jury indictment and plea agreement.

Surprisingly, Nozick mentioned in court that there were no “identifiable” victims in the case, leaving the nature of Arcuri’s actions open to interpretation. When asked by Martin if he agreed with the state’s characterization of the crime, Arcuri responded affirmatively.

Arcuri’s law enforcement career spanned 32 years, culminating in his appointment as police commander in June 2022. His retirement in the summer of 2023, as announced in a Facebook post by the East Chicago Police Department, marked the end of an era tainted by this shocking revelation.