Former Geneva Police Department Sergeant David Felice has admitted to criminal possession of a controlled substance.. This legal action follows a wider investigation into the illegal sale of prescription medications involving multiple members of the force.
David Felice's one-year conditional discharge
On October 22, 2025, David Felice was arraigned just one day after a grand jury issued an indictment against him. According to special prosecutor Christine Callanan, the former Geneva Police Department sergeant reached a guilty plea regarding his involvement in a prescription drug sales scheme.
The legal resolution for David Felice resulted in a sentence of a one-year conditional discharge. This outcome suggests a level of cooperation or a specific legal calculation by the prosecution, though the underlying charges involve the possession of substances that are strictly regulated by law .
Michael Tapscott's 40 couunts of official misconduct
The core of the investigation centered on Michael Tapscott, a 13-year veteran of the Geneva Police Department. As reported by authorities, Tapscott was involved in the distribution of dextroamp-amphetamine, which is a generic version of the prescription stimulant Adderall.
The legal fallout for Michael Tapscott was significantly more severe than that of his colleague. Tapscott pleaded guilty on February 19 to 40 counts of official misconduct and criminal possession of a controlled substance. He had previously resigned from the Geneva Police Department on May 6, 2025, immediately preceding formal charges for official misconduct and the criminal sale of a controlled substance.
The Route 14 dealership sale that sparked the probe
The investigation into the Geneva Police Department gained critical momentum following a specific transaction on April 21, 2025.. Authorities stated that Michael Tapscott sold the prescription stimulant to an individual at a used car dealership located on Route 14, just north of the city.
This incident highlights a broader, systemic vulnerability where law enforcement officers leverage their positions to facilitate illicit trades. The use of a public business location for a drug transaction suggests a level of boldness or perceived immunity that often characterizes internal police corruption cases. Such breaches of trust undermine the legitimacy of the Geneva Police Department in the eyes of the community they are sworn to protect.
The role of William McGowan and other unnamed officers
While David Felice and Michael Tapscott have faced the courts, the full scope of the conspiracy remains partially obscured. a third man, William McGowan,was indicted by a grand jury on October 22, 2025, alongside the officers, though the specific nature of his involvement has not been detailed in the available reports.
Furthermore, Sheriff David Cirencione stated that the investigation revealed Michael Tapscott regularly solicited other members of the Geneva Police Department and the general community to engage in the purchase or sale of controlled substances. It remains unclear exactly how many other officers were approached or if any others accepted the offer,leaving a significant gap in the public's understanding of how deep the corruption penetrated the department.
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