Earlier today, a complaint was unsealed in Brooklyn federal court charging Eduardo Cornejo, a former officer with the New York City Police Department (NYPD) with transporting women in interstate commerce to engage in prostitution. [1] Until his termination from the NYPD on January 15, 2016, Cornejo was an 11-year veteran of the NYPD who, at the time of the charged conduct, was on modified assignment and was, prior to that, assigned to the 79th Precinct in Brooklyn. Cornejo is scheduled to be arraigned at 2 p.m. today before United States Magistrate Judge Steven M. Gold at the U.S. Courthouse, 225 Cadman Plaza East, Brooklyn, New York.

The charges were announced by Robert L. Capers, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Diego Rodriguez, Assistant Director-in-Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and William J. Bratton, Commissioner, NYPD.

“As alleged, the defendant betrayed the trust of the residents of the city he swore to protect,” stated United States Attorney Capers. “Rather than seeking to eradicate crime from the streets of the city, the defendant promoted prostitution and profited from his exploitation of women.” Mr. Capers praised the joint investigative efforts of the FBI and the Internal Affairs Bureau of the NYPD.

“Throughout his alleged criminal actions, Cornejo not only abused the public trust given to him as an NYPD officer, but he showed no human decency when he facilitated the exploitation of women for profit. Police officers, like all public servants, are held to a higher standard, and should not violate the very same laws they are supposed to enforce,” said FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Rodriguez.

“I commend our Internal Affairs Bureau which takes a proactive role in investigating serious misconduct among the ranks of the NYPD and works closely with prosecutors in building cases against those who violate the very laws that they have sworn to enforce,” said NYPD Commissioner Bratton.

As detailed in the complaint, members of law enforcement observed Cornejo transporting at least ten different prostitutes he employed to motels throughout the New York metropolitan area, including parts of Long Island and New Jersey. Cornejo often engaged in this conduct directly after leaving his work with the NYPD.

As further detailed in the complaint, pursuant to a lawfully authorized wiretap, law enforcement intercepted statements by Cornejo that showed his commission of the crime. For example, in one such statement Cornejo discussed the way he divides monetary proceeds with the prostitutes he employs and also stated that, if he were to stand outside a motel door with “a bunch of girls,” law enforcement would “know what’s up real quick.”

If convicted, Cornejo faces up to ten years of incarceration.

The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Public Integrity Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Alexander A. Solomon and Kevin Trowel are in charge of the prosecution.

The Defendant :

EDUARDO CORNEJO

Age: 33

E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 16-M-69 (MDG)