Cop accused of lying to FBI gets sweet retirement deal

PEEKSKILL – A Peekskill police sergeant suspended a year ago when he was accused of lying to FBI agents and the chief and of failing to monitor sex offenders continues to receive full pay and will be granted a disability retirement under a settlement that's been criticized by Mayor Frank Catalina.

Sgt. Ray Henderlong was suspended last March and has been out on an undisclosed disability since then. He will receive his full $121,000 salary until the Aug. 25 retirement date agreed on with the city as part of a settlement that also drops all departmental charges against him.

That settlement, approved by City Manager Anthony Ruggiero, "did not come to the mayor or the (Common) council until it was a done deal, and I was very, very unhappy about it," Catalina said, adding that Ruggiero should not have paid lawyers who negotiated the agreement without consulting the council.

"I don't know if the settlement was justified," Catalina said. "What are the facts?"

A March 3, 2014, memo obtained by The Journal News informs Henderlong that he is suspended and lists numerous departmental charges of misconduct and incompetence.

The 55-year-old patrol sergeant and former department spokesman is accused of ordering another officer to stop a garbage truck on Jan. 11, 2013, "without a legitimate reason" five days before the FBI rounded up 30 people in the New York metro area on racketeering and extortion charges as part of an investigation into organized crime's influence on the trash hauling industry.

Three days after that stop, Henderlong was questioned by the FBI about it and was allegedly "untruthful," to both federal agents and Peekskill Police Chief Eric Johansen, saying that he ordered the stop based on a tip from a lawyer in court. The disciplinary charges say he ordered the stop at the behest of a contractor, but does not say why.

Johansen would not say why the traffic stop attracted the FBI's attention. A New York City FBI spokesman also would not comment or discuss whether Henderlong was "untruthful." No criminal charges were ever brought against the 18-year police veteran.

Henderlong, who in 2012 made a bid to become chief, denied the allegations, saying he was "fully cooperative" with the FBI and did not lie.

He also denied other accusations listed in his suspension notice. Those charges include failing to inform the chief about a criminal investigation in which the victim was a city councilwoman; directing Peekskill detectives not to tell the chief about that and other investigations; and ignoring orders to monitor sex offenders living in the city.

The 12-page settlement, obtained through a Freedom of Information request, bars Henderlong, Ruggiero, Johansen and other officials from making derogatory comments about any of the parties, and anyone who does can be fined $10,000. It also prevents Henderlong from applying for other jobs with the city or suing the city.

Lance Klein, whose law firm was paid $4,600 by the city to negotiate the settlement, said the city manager is not required to inform the mayor or Common Council of the agreement. He said the city charter gives the manager the power to hire and fire employees.

"The mayor has nothing to do with this case, nor does the city council," Klein said, adding that the city charter "doesn't give (the mayor) the authority to make these decisions."

Ruggiero, the city manager, resigned his $163,000 post in February and begins a new job as Beacon city manager in May. His replacement has not been named. Ruggiero did not return messages seeking comment.

Twitter: @leehiggins