Lynn man allegedly tries to bribe cop

SAUGUS – A Lynn man with a lengthy driving record was charged Tuesday with attempting to bribe a Saugus police officer who issued him a speeding ticket, police said.Anthony Roberto III, 23, of 18 Perley St., will be summonsed to court for attempted bribery of a public employee, which is a felony charge. He was also issued a speeding ticket.Roberto was detected on radar driving 43 mph in a 30 mph-zone on Lincoln Avenue near Bisbee Funeral Home when he was pulled over shortly after 1 a.m. Tuesday, police said.”I didn’t attempt to bribe anybody,” Roberto said when reached by phone Tuesday night.Roberto’s license has been suspended multiple times and was reinstated March 9, according to police. He allegedly told Officer Arthur Connors Jr. after being pulled over that his license keeps getting automatically suspended for seven surchargable events every time he gets stopped by police.Connors told Roberto he should drive more carefully and has the right to appeal the ticket, police said.At this point, according to a police report, Roberto asked Connors, “Can I make a donation to make the ticket go away?”A moment later, Roberto allegedly asked, “Can I pay you to make it go away?”After allegedly being offered a bribe, Connors called for back-up. In the presence of additional officers Roberto allegedly repeated the offer.Police said Connors never received any money during the transaction.”I’m probably going to lose my license again, so I was trying to ask a simple question,” Roberto said. “And he said, ‘Are you trying to bribe me?'”Roberto said police never informed him that he would be summonsed to court for attempted bribery.”They said, ‘Get out of here before I lock you up,'” he said.