A former Watertown police officer Roberto Velasquez Johnson is charged with informing on other officers to drug dealers.
MA- A fired Watertown police officer has been charged with giving information about an international drug investigation involving millions of dollars and several other Watertown men to the people being investigated, leading to them allegedly intimidating other law enforcement officers.
More than $2.7 million in drug proceeds in Newton and Bedford in October 2010 was seized during the course of the investigation, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. After searching Watertown and Waltham residences on May 24, officials reportedly seized more than $700,000 in U.S. currency, seven kilograms of gold bars, 80 pounds of marijuana, four weapons and several vehicles.
The police officer, Roberto Velasquez Johnson was charged with conspiring to defraud the government by impeding a drug investigation. He faces up to five years in prison to be followed by 3 years of supervised release and a fine up to $250,000 if convicted.
“It is our belief that a majority if not all of this occurred after Velasquez-Johnson left his employment with the Watertown Police Department,” Police Chief Edward Deveau told the Watertown TAB. “I have no knowledge or information that there are any other Watertown officers, current or former, as part of this investigation."
Velasquez-Johnson was put on paid administrative leave last year after failing to deliver a restraining order in July. He later defended himself at a public disciplinary hearing at Town Hall in October but was fired in November.
According to the indictment, the federal investigation began in February 2010 and involved law enforcement in Massachusetts, New York, Nevada, California and Canada. The investigation reportedly centered on Madarati’s suspected marijuana and ecstasy trafficking, which reportedly had a manufacturing and distributing base at a garden apartment at 10 Oakley Road in Watertown
According to the indictment, Madarati “used his personal connections with members of the Watertown Police Department, including Roberto Velasquez-Johnson aka George Diamond, to obtain information about law enforcement activity in order to impede and obstruct investigations into his drug trafficking activities.”
Link:
http://www.wickedlocal.com/newton/news/x1303846599/Fired-Watertown-cop-charged-with-informing-on-other-officers-to-drug-dealers#axzz1NJpwRy7f