3 NJ Cops Sentenced For Stealing, Civil Rights Violations: Feds

NEW JERSEY - Three New Jersey police officers were sentenced Thursday for roles in a conspiracy to violate individuals’ civil rights, federal officials said.

Jonathan Bustios, 33, of Paterson, was sentenced to 24 months in prison after he previously pleaded guilty in Newark federal court to one count of conspiracy to violate individuals’ civil rights and one count of extortion under color of official right.

A previous investigation revealed that Bustios allegedly accepted a firearm in exchange for reducing the charges filed against someone who was arrested, Patch previously reported.

Eudy Ramos, 35, of Paterson, was also sentenced to 24 months in prison after he previously pleaded guilty to counts in an indictment against him, charging him with conspiracy to violate individuals’ civil rights and filing a false police report. Ramos also pleaded guilty to using unreasonable and excessive force in violation of individuals’ civil rights.

Bustios and Ramos allegedly stopped motor vehicles, detained the occupants, and searched vehicles without any justification, Patch previously reported. They also allegedly took money and other items without justification before releasing people.

For example, on Feb. 20, while on duty, Bustios pulled over a BMW and stopped behind the vehicle, while Ramos stopped his police car in front of it, officials said in a press release during the pair’s arrest in 2018. Bustios and Ramos exited their police cars and proceeded to search the front and back of the BMW and the trunk. Bustios and Ramos also detained and searched the two occupants of the BMW and put them into the backseat of Ramos’ police car, officials said.

Police Officer Matthew Torres, 33, of Paterson, was also sentenced to three years of probation. Torres previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to violate individuals’ civil rights and filing a false police report.

“Torres and the other officers sometimes used fake paperwork to trick individuals into believing that the cash seizures and vehicle stops represented legitimate law enforcement encounters,” reads a statement from the U.S. District Attorney’s Office after Torres pleaded guilty in 2019. “Torres and the other officers also stopped and searched individuals on the streets of Paterson, and illegally took their money. To cover up their criminal activity, Torres and his fellow officers filed false police reports.”

Authorities cited an instance when, on Dec. 7, 2017, while on duty, Torres and Ramos conducted a vehicle stop in Paterson. They searched the vehicle, the driver, and the passenger when the passenger advised Torres and Ramos that he had a small quantity of marijuana. He also had approximately $3,100, officials said.

Ramos and Torres told the passenger that they could take $500 from the passenger and have him sign a piece of paper, according to the U.S. District Attorney’s Office. Torres and Ramos ultimately stole approximately $800 from the passenger, and shared the stolen cash. In order to conceal the theft, Torres and Ramos didn’t report the encounter in their daily Paterson Police Department activity logs, officials said.

In addition to the prison terms, U.S. District Judge Katharine S. Hayden also sentenced Bustios and Ramos to three years of supervised release, federal officials said.