An 8-year veteran of the New York City Police Department has been charged with violating the civil rights of another, attempted violent extortion and attempted insurance fraud.
Officer Michael Daragjati was arrested Oct. 19.
According to the complaint, Daragjati violated the civil rights of a victim by willfully arresting him in April 2011, and charging him with a crime without probable cause and on false pretenses, and for doing so based on racial animus.
It's also alleged that Daragjati, who operated a construction and snow removal business while off-duty, attempted violent extortion. In March 2011, snowplow equipment that belonged to Daragjati was stolen. According to the complaint, Daragjati identified a person he believed was the thief and arranged to have him lured to a location where he and a group of men allegedly attacked the suspected thief, punching him and threatening him with a handgun. They told him he had to return the snowplow equipment or pay $5,000.
Finally, the complaint alleges that Daragjati directed a snowplow driver to intentionally damage a truck Daragjati owned, and then falsely represent to the driver's auto insurer that the damage resulted from an accident while plowing snow. Daragjati also provided a false account to individuals he believed were employed by the driver's auto insurer in an effort to receive payment from the insurer.
If convicted of the civil rights charge, the defendant faces a maximum sentence of one year in prison and a $100,000 fine. If convicted of attempt to commit extortion, conspiracy to commit extortion or wire fraud, the defendant faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000 on each charge.
The government's case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Paul Tuchmann, Amy Busa and Cristina Posa.
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