Another Paterson Cop Pleads Guilty In Federal Probe

PASSAIC COUNTY, NJ — Another Paterson police officer pleaded guilty to charges filed against him due to an FBI probe that led to charges being filed against him and six others in the department.

Frank Toledo, 30, of Paterson faces up to 40 years in prison and a $750,000 fine after pleading guilty to conspiracy to violate individuals' civil rights, using unreasonable and excessive force, and filing a false police report, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced in a news release.

Sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 22.

Toledo was fired from the department, said Mayor Andrew Sayegh.

Paterson Police Director Jerry Speziale said the department "will never tolerate or accept racism and corruption in its ranks."

Paterson Police Chief Troy Oswald said, "the public should take notice that the officers we have lost with recent prosecutions are officers who are not worthy of carrying the shield for this Police Department."

Toledo and six other officers stopped and searched motor vehicles, without any justification, and stole cash and other items from the occupants of the motor vehicles, according to the release.

Toledo and other officers, including Eudy Ramos, Jonathan Bustios, Daniel Pent, Matthew Torres, took money and split it among them and filed false police reports to hide what they did, Carpentio said.

Toledo and others wrote text messages to each other about their illegal activity, including one time when Toledo told Bustios, "everything we do is illegal."

Three times in 2017 Toledo used excessive force against people, Carpenito said, including one when he pushed a kid to the ground and punched him several times.

Toledo and Ramos chased, tackled, and hit someone several times before releasing them, authorities said. The incident was recorded and uploaded to YouTube. Toledo told Bustios that the individual who recorded the incident "missed the best part," when Toledo "laid him out."

Ramos was indicted in a nine-count indictment with conspiring to deprive individuals of their civil rights, depriving individuals of their civil rights, and filing false police reports. His case is pending.

Bustios pleaded guilty in December to conspiring to deprive individuals of their civil rights and extortion. His sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 9.

Email: daniel.hubbard@patch.com