Overview
- Officers Michael Caligiuri and Ryan McLoughlin were arraigned in Manhattan, pleaded not guilty, were released on recognizance, and are due back in court on June 15.
- They face charges of tampering with public records, falsifying business records, tampering with physical evidence, and official misconduct.
- Court filings allege they repositioned and handed off a body‑worn camera, texted on personal phones, did not question suspected intoxication, and failed to stop or radio when the driver left.
- The driver, off‑duty NYPD officer Eli Garcia, was later arrested, pleaded guilty to driving while ability impaired in December 2024, received fines and a 90‑day license suspension, and resigned; the NYPD says it initiated the probe and has suspended the two officers without pay.
- The Police Benevolent Association criticized the prosecution as overreach as DA Alvin Bragg emphasized equal treatment under the law, and prosecutors extended a plea offer to an E felony plus two misdemeanors with a three‑year conditional discharge.