NYPD `Cannibal Cop` Guilty of Plot to Cook, Dine on Women

Accused "cannibal cop" Gilberto Valle was convicted today on all charges in what prosecutors called a "heinous plot" to kidnap, cook and eat his wife and several other women.

A six-woman, six-man Manhattan federal court jury announced the stunning decision after deliberating for 16 hours over four days.

Valle did not testify.

Valle, 28, faces up to life in the slammer for his sickening scheme, which he hatched over the Web with people he met through the darkfetishnet.com Web site.

Valle has been held in solitary confinement since his shocking arrest last year after his wife used computer spyware to uncover depraved online chats in which he professed a desire to become a "professional kidnapper" and revel in the suffering of his victims as they were roasted alive.

 The defense argued that the six-year NYPD veteran was merely engaging in sexual-fantasy "role play" and never really intended to hurt anyone.

“Today, a unanimous jury found that Gilberto Valle’s detailed and specific plans to abduct women for the purpose of committing grotesque crimes were very real, and that he was guilty as charged," Manhattan US Attorney Preet Bharara said today in a statement.

"The Internet is a forum for the free exchange of ideas, but it does not confer immunity for plotting crimes and taking steps to carry out those crimes. I want to thank the jury for their time, their diligence, and their willingness to serve on a case of this nature, and I want to thank the dedicated prosecutors from my office who did such an outstanding job investigating and prosecuting this disturbing case.”

Republished with permission of The New York Post