GRAND JURY INDICTS VETERAN NEW YORK CITY POLICE OFFICER FOR FORGERY AND OTHER RELATED CHARGES

Bronx District Attorney Robert T. Johnson announced today that a 44 year-old New York City Police Officer assigned to the 50th Precinct has been indicted on charges of forgery, petit larceny and other related charges for allegedly stealing $675 from an elderly woman.

A grand jury indicted Gustavo Figueroa, of New Windsor, NY, on 3 counts of Forgery in the 2nd degree, a class "D" felony offense, 3 counts of Criminal possession of a forged instrument in the 2nd degree, a class "D" felony offense, 5 counts of Petit larceny, a class "A" misdemeanor offense, 1 count of Criminal Possession of stolen property in the 5th degree, a class "A" misdemeanor offense, and 2 counts of Official misconduct, a class "A" misdemeanor offense.

Figueroa, arraigned today before Acting State Supreme Court Justice John N. Byrne in Part A, has been placed on modified assignment, and is due back in court on June 27, 2003 in Part M60. If convicted of the most serious charges of Forgery and Criminal possession of a forged instrument, Figueroa faces a maximum term of up to 7 years imprisonment.

The alleged incident occurred on November 2, 2002, when the defendant, while on duty and in uniform as a New York City Police Officer, responded to a call for assistance by an elderly woman at 2707 Sedgewick Avenue. After Figueroa and his partner left the victim’s apartment, the elderly woman discovered that an envelope containing $600 in cash and three sequentially numbered money orders, totaling approximately $75, along with her public benefit identification card were missing.

During an investigation by the Internal Affairs Bureau of the NYPD and the Bronx District Attorney’s Rackets Bureau, it was discovered that the money orders purchased by the elderly victim had been deposited into the defendant’s bank account. The money orders had been made payable to Figueroa and the name of a relative of the defendant was signed as the payer.

Mr. Johnson thanked the New York City Police Department Internal Affairs Bureau and the Bronx District Attorney’s Rackets Bureau for their contribution building a case.

Assistant District Attorney Todd Sherman of the Rackets Bureau is prosecuting this case.