The Associated Press' longtime budget director was found dead under bizarre circumstances at a Brooklyn hotel.

Paul Mento, 52, was found dead in a hotel bathroom with his face covered by duct tape inside the Best Western Gregory Hotel in Bay Ridge. Mento, a father of two, had worked at The Associated Press for 26 years. He started at the AP as an audit clerk in 1978 and worked his way up to budget director in 1988 before leaving the AP in 2004. Police believe Mento's death was a suicide and have found indications that he had a gambling problem.

This was the second death in 90 days at the Bay Ridge hotel. The Associated Press was reached for comment but cited company policy on not commenting on personnel.