Undercover narcotics detective for NYPD Joseph Franco, 46, has been arrested amid accusations he lied in court testimony and on official documents used for official arrests.
He has been charged with 16 counts of perjury.
A plainclothes cop assigned to the Manhattan South Narcotics Division, Franco falsified information in documents for at least three arrests over the past two years.
All of the three convictions against the victims he falsely arrested have been vacated and sealed.
Franco was charged with perjury April 24 for writing false statements in sworn affidavits that he witnessed drug deals go down in three cases between 2017 and 2018, according to the Manhattan District Attorney’s office.
But those drug deals never went down — were make-believe.
“This detective lied to judges, prosecutors, and his own colleagues in the NYPD about crimes that never happened, and three New Yorkers wrongfully lost their liberty as a result,” district attorney Cy Vance Jr. said.
Franco was assigned to the Narcotics Borough Manhattan South for 19-years before he busted the three defendants whose sentences have since been vacated, so there’s no telling how many other people have fallen victim to Franco’s false reports.
The three defendants victimized by Franco took plea deals and Tameeka Baker and Julio Irizarry were serving state prison sentences when Franco’s criminal conduct came to light of authorities.
In all three cases, detectives obtained video surveillance video that directly contradicted observations made by Franco, according to the New York Post.
Officer Franco has pleaded guilty to 16 counts of perjury for the false arrests of two men and one woman.
Officer Franco’s defense attorney, Howard Tanner, argued his client is an Iraq war combat veteran and has a distinguished 19 years with the New York Police Department.
“Our NYPD officers swear an oath to uphold the law, and meet the highest ethical standards. Should an officer fail to meet those critical expectations, they must be held accountable,” DCPI spokeswoman Sgt. Jessica McRorie said.
Franco, who earned $141,435, last year was released without having to pay any bail.
He has been placed on modified duty since the allegations of perjury surfaced.
