A former NYPD officer and his alleged co-conspirator are now facing a sweeping indictment for their roles in what prosecutors are describing as a bribery scheme involving illicit use of law enforcement databases, announced by the Brooklyn District Attorney's Office.
The defendants, Richard Arce and Raymond Ramos, have been charged with multiple crimes including bribe receiving and unauthorized use of a computer, as reported by the Brooklyn District Attorney's Office, who said Arce made unauthorized searches in the NYPD database while working at Brooklyn Criminal Court and sold sensitive information for payments that were typically $40 to $50 per search, from March 2021 through February 2023, he retired from the NYPD in 2023, but these events had started way before he stepped down from his role as an officer serving the public trust.
During their arraignments, Arce was released without bail, and both he and Ramos were instructed to return to court on May 7. Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez stated, "This defendant allegedly betrayed his badge when he provided confidential information to people accused of crimes. This was a shocking abuse of the trust he was granted and an example of corruption that could have led to serious public safety consequences. We have now indicted him and his alleged bribery partner and will work to hold them responsible,” as noted by the same press release.
An investigation by the NYPD's Internal Affairs Bureau uncovered over 70 unauthorized searches on individuals such as those involved in an ATM burglary ring case, revealing a disconcerting vulnerability in the database's oversight mechanisms and raising concerns over the potential for greater abuse that could go under-reported or undetected, the scope of the breach detailed by the evidence presented encompassed arrest warrants, police reports, and the like which were inappropriately provided, often via text from Arce's NYPD issued cell phone to Ramos.
The Brooklyn District Attorney's Office credited the work of both its own detectives and those of the Internal Affairs Bureau for their collaborative effort in the investigation. The case is being prosecuted by members of the Frauds Bureau.
