A New York City police officer has been arrested in a plot to to kidnap, cook, and cannibalize women, law enforcement officials said Thursday.

Gilberto Valle, 28, was arrested Tuesday at his home in Queens, N.Y. by FBI agents and NYPD’s internal affairs after a two-month investigation. He is scheduled to appear in Manhattan federal court Thursday afternoon.

Valle’s phone and computer records show that since at least February, he had been building a database of 100 women--complete with personal information and physical descriptions--as part of a developing plan to kidnap, torture, cook and eat them, according to federal indictment unsealed Thursday.

“Gilberto Valle’s alleged plans to kidnap women so that they could be raped, tortured, killed, cooked and cannibalized shock the conscience,” said Manhattan U.S. Atty. Preet Bharara in a statement. “This case is all the more disturbing when you consider Valle’s position as a New York City police officer and his sworn duty to serve and protect. Our investigation is ongoing.”


Valle obtained some information for his plan from the federal National Crime Information Center “without authorization, and outside the scope of his authority,” the documents said.

In at least one instance, Valle discussed kidnapping a woman he knew and selling her to another man for $5,000, according to excerpts from a transcript of his conversation included in the court records.

No women were harmed, said FBI spokeswoman Kelly Langmesser. There was “just a great deal of intent.”

During Valle’s discussion of selling one of his victims, the buyer asked if he could lower the price if he offered something as trade.


“No nothing at all,” Valle responded through the online chat. “Like I said this is very risky and will ruin my life if I am caught. I really need the money…”

Valle has been a patrol officer in the NYPD’s 26th Precinct for six years. There was nothing unusual in his employment record, said Deputy Commissioner Paul Browne.

Among Valle’s ideas was to slow cook a woman so she would stay alive as long as possible, according to the criminal complaint. He also researched how to make chloroform so he could subdue his victim, and wrote a manual on kidnapping.

Valle apparently knew some of the women he was targeting, according to court records. He bragged to a man that he could show up at one woman’s house unannounced and she wouldn’t be disturbed. That was to be his first victim, prosecutors allege.


“I love that she is asleep right now not having the slightest clue of what is planned,” Valle said in an online chat in July with his potential buyer about the woman. “Her days are numbered. I’m glad you’re on board. She does look tasty doesn’t she?”

The FBI learned of Valle’s email and instant message communications in September. The “co-conspirator” he communicated with is not named in the court record.

Valle faces up to life in prison if convicted on all counts.

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