Translated material
Freedom counter
Three friends from the police, the prosecutor's office and the Federal Penitentiary Service were accused of extorting money from someone else's suspect
The capital's department of the Investigative Committee, as Vremya Novostei learned, has completed an investigation into another scandalous case against law enforcement officers. As part of it, representatives of three departments at once will be in the dock - former assistant prosecutor of the Ostankino interdistrict prosecutor's office, 25-year-old Alla Ovchinnikova and 28-year-old twin brothers, senior detective for juvenile affairs of the Maryina Roshcha police department Andrei Konovalov and inspector of the interdistrict criminal inspection No. 6 of the Moscow Department of the Federal Penitentiary Service Sergey Konovalov.All of them are accused of extorting money “under threat of violence” from a young Moscow resident who was involved in a drug possession case. He was asked to change the preventive measure from arrest to recognizance not to leave. In addition, Sergei Konovalov is also charged with selling heroin, and his brother Andrei is charged with abuse of power. It is noteworthy that the law enforcement officers, as follows from the case materials, acted in the best traditions of the brothers of the mid-90s. They came up with the reason for extortion themselves - the young man was detained without any participation of the accused by a completely different service, while he did not express a desire to mitigate his fate in any way and did not refuse charges of drug possession. Nevertheless, the “voluntary saviors” of their victim presented a substantial bill for their services, then put it “on the counter,” and to top it off, they threatened that they would deal with his relatives and cut off his finger for each day of “delay.”
The SKP opened this criminal case on November 12 last year on the basis of materials from an inspection of the Moscow department of the FSB and a statement from non-working Muscovite Sergei Kovyrin. As investigators found out, on October 7, employees of the Federal Service for Drug Control (UFSKN) in the North-Eastern Administrative District (NEAD) of Moscow detained Mr. Kovyrin near his home and took him to their department, where, during a personal search, they found “ a significant amount of heroin."
The young man admitted that at that moment he was under the influence of drugs (this was also shown by a medical examination) and therefore did not remember well how they were detained, searched and what exactly was found. However, as investigators found out and the young man himself confirmed, he signed the drug seizure protocol that day voluntarily and independently. After this, the drug police brought the detainee to the investigator, who announced to Mr. Kovyrin that a criminal case had been initiated against him under Art. 228-2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (illegal possession of narcotic substances), as well as that he will petition the court for his arrest.
Having finished with the formalities, the police sent Mr. Kovyrin to a cell, but he did not stay there for long. As follows from the case materials, the next morning, Andrei Konovalov, an operative from the Maryina Roshcha police department, came to the FSKN department to visit the accused. The latter, according to the investigation, asked Mr. Kovyrin if he could “turn in” one of the drug dealers, promising that in exchange for cooperation he would arrange for Mr. Kovyrin to be sent home. But the detainee did not have such acquaintances, and then operative Konovalov, as follows from the case materials, said that he would still help the young man to be released, but for this he would have to pay 200 thousand rubles, which would allegedly go to the drug police. But Mr. Kovyrin refused this option, explaining that he simply did not have that kind of money. The policeman, according to the investigation, nevertheless continued to insist, offering to organize the release of Mr. Kovyrin, asking only how long it would take him to collect the required amount. But Mr. Kovyrin said that he was not going to pay in any case. Firstly, because he really has no money at all, since he lost his job a month before, and has not yet found a new one, and he has to make do with odd jobs, especially since he has to take care of his disabled wife. Secondly, as Mr. Kovyrin believed, in his situation, paying for release on his own recognizance seemed like a complete waste of money. The fact is that in April 2009 he had already received a suspended sentence for drug possession, and with an outstanding conviction, a new sentence on a similar charge, by definition, threatened with a real prison term.
This ended the young man’s conversation with Konovalov, but at the same time he made an impression on the drug police. Surprised by the police’s interest in their client, whom they initially considered an ordinary drug addict, the FSKN officers, after the operative’s departure, asked what kind of relationship he had with him. In response to this, as follows from the case materials, Mr. Kovyrin honestly admitted that he knows many employees of the Maryina Roshcha police station and “often takes part in their operational activities” as a witness or witness.
As a result, representatives of the Federal Drug Control Service decided on the same day to release the young man on his own recognizance. What exactly they were guided by is not indicated in the case materials. But in any case, formally this did not contradict the law - Mr. Kovyrin had a permanent place of residence, promised to regularly report to the investigator and did not pose a public danger.
After the young man was announced about his release, while still in the corridor, according to investigators, he was met by assistant Ostankino prosecutor Ovchinnikova, with whom they went out into the street. And there the Konovalov brothers were already waiting for them. As the investigation established, law enforcement officers offered to give Mr. Kovyrin a ride home by car, and he agreed. During the trip, according to the Investigative Committee, operative Andrei Konovalov explained to the young man that it took him and Ms. Ovchinnikova a lot of effort to convince the drug police to let him go. At the same time, the detective stated that they allegedly had to pay 200 thousand rubles for this service. from personal funds, which Mr. Kovyrin must now give to them. The latter again tried to explain that he did not have that kind of money and even nowhere to get it, but well-wishers did not listen, saying only that the payment deadline was until October 28. After this, the Konovalov brothers, according to the investigation, called the “saved” person every day, reminding him of the debt.
Mr. Kovyrin, according to his statement, initially tried to get money - he looked for work, tried to rent out his apartment, moving in with his wife, but by the appointed time he could not find at least a small part of the required amount. As a result, according to the case file, on October 28, the Konovalov brothers and Ms. Ovchinnikova, as promised, called the young man to a meeting, at which they “in a rude, threatening manner and with insults” stated that if he did not give them the money, “his family will suffer, his relatives will be subjected to physical violence.” In addition, according to the investigation, law enforcement officers put Mr. Kovyrin “on the counter”, saying that for each overdue day he now owes them 5 thousand rubles. And operative Konovalov, for his part, said that Kovyrin personally owes him an additional “120 pieces,” which he allegedly previously handed over to the prosecutor’s office “for a positive resolution of the issue” with release from arrest.
The young man promised that in the coming days he would definitely give up all the money, begging his “saviors” not to touch his loved ones, and he himself, realizing that he simply had nowhere else to go, after this conversation went to the FSB. All subsequent negotiations and meetings of Mr. Kovyrin with three law enforcement officers took place under the supervision of security officers, were recorded on sound recording equipment, and in addition, their phones were wiretapped.
On the afternoon of November 9, detective Konovalov once again called Mr. Kovyrin to his office at the police department and finally received the first payment on the debt - 10 thousand rubles marked by special personnel. The policeman was surprised why there was so little money, to which Mr. Kovyrin once again tried to explain that he was in a “difficult financial situation.” But the operative, according to the investigation, interrupted him, saying that he would “beat him up, hit his head against the wall, and instead of interest a day, he would cut off one of his fingers.” After this conversation, they drove together in the policeman’s personal car to the Ostankino prosecutor’s office, where they were met by Sergei Konovalov, who explained that Ovchinnikova would arrive soon. “While they were waiting for Ovchinnikova,” as follows from the case materials, “the Konovalov brothers continued to demand money from Kovyrin, threatening, among other things, their father, who is allegedly a very influential person and can send people who will hang up his entire family.” Soon the assistant prosecutor also joined the conversation, who was also indignant that Mr. Kovyrin did not give the money. Without listening to his explanations, Ms. Ovchinnikova, “using obscene language, began to shout that they would kill him, roll him into concrete, pull out his nails, throw him into the river,” etc. As a result, Kovyrin promised that on November 12 he would bring another 80 thousand rubles to his “saviors”.
The meeting was scheduled for 6 pm near the Holiday Inn on Mira Avenue, to which the Konovalov brothers arrived. Immediately after receiving the money, they were detained, and a little later Ms. Ovchinnikova joined them. All three were taken to the capital's police department and charged with extortion. Already during the investigation, Andrei Konovalov was additionally charged with abuse of power, and his brother Sergei was charged with drug sales. During a search, heroin was found in his pocket, which he allegedly intended to transfer to Kovyrin. A few days later, the court issued a warrant for the arrest of the detainees.
During interrogations, all three refused to admit their guilt, insisting that Kovyrin “simply owed them money, the payment of which he delayed for too long.” However, the investigation established that Ms. Ovchinnikova had previously known Kovyrin - she represented the state prosecution in his first criminal case. And having learned that he was again detained for drugs, as follows from the case materials, “she entered into a criminal conspiracy with her friends, the Konovalov brothers, agreeing with them to jointly commit extortion against Kovyrin for illegal personal gain.” According to the investigation, “from October 28 to November 11, 2009, the defendants demanded 415 thousand rubles from their victim, including interest for each day of delay and an additional amount of 120 thousand.” “The illegal actions” of the accused, according to the Investigative Committee, are evidenced not only by the testimony of the victim, but also by audio recordings, as well as recordings of their telephone conversations and seized money. Therefore, the investigation regarded their position as an attempt to evade punishment.