4th Paterson police officer facing civil rights charges
PATERSON, New Jersey (WABC) -- Another police officer from Paterson, New Jersey, is charged with conspiracy to violate civil rights.
Authorities say 32-year-old Daniel Pent, of Paterson, was arrested Tuesday by FBI special agents.
Court documents indicate Pent and other Paterson police officers, including Eudy Ramos, stopped and searched motor vehicles without any justification and stole cash and other items from the occupants of the motor vehicles.
Pent, Ramos, and others also illegally stopped and searched individuals in buildings or on the streets of Paterson and seized cash from those individuals.
Pent is the fourth Paterson officer charged in the ongoing probe and faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted.
He has been suspended without pay for 30 days and after that will be placed on paid administrative leave until the charges are resolved.
"There is no place in the Paterson Police Department for corrupt police officers, period," Mayor Andre Sayegh said in a statement. "I am grateful for the work of the FBI and U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito, as well as that of Passaic County Prosecutor Camelia M. Valdes, Public Safety Director Jerry Speziale, and Police Chief Troy Oswald, to root out bad actors. We are all committed to restoring the community's faith in those sworn to protect and serve the residents of Paterson. As mentioned previously, I have called for a top-to-bottom audit of our Police Department by nationally recognized law enforcement professionals and hope to provide a recommendation to the City Council soon."
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