TROY - Two retired city detectives were given conditional discharges Tuesday, four weeks after they pleaded guilty to concealing their illegal entry into an apartment containing drugs in June 2017.

The officers were accused of forging an incident report to cover up the unit's warrantless search of a home. The scandal led to the disbanding of the city's undercover drug unit.

Sgt. Ron Epstein pleaded guilty to official misconduct on Oct. 16, the day his retirement took effect. Detective John A. Comitale Jr., who retired in February, pleaded guilty to attempted official misconduct.

Acting State Supreme Court Justice Peter Lynch imposed the sentence - which will leave the men with clean records if they avoid future legal problems.

The special prosecutor in the case, Columbia County District Attorney Paul Czajka, said he was satisfied with the sentences.

Neither Epstein nor Comitale talked after the sentencing.

Epstein's attorney, Michael Koenig, said Lynch described the incident as "an aberration from an otherwise distinguished career."

"The judge did what judges should do, which is look at the total picture of someone's life," Koenig said. "There's no question (Epstein) made the streets better and the community safer."

Comitale's lawyer, Andrew Safranko, said a number of Troy police officers attended the sentencing. "In times of trouble, people generally run and you find out who your friends are," he said.

The warrantless entry June 9, 2017 into an apartment at 112 Oakwood Ave. led to suspensions of the former Firearms Interdiction and Narcotics Suppression Unit, the formal name for the drug unit, while the city department and State Police sorted out what happened.

The cover-up unraveled when two other detectives came forward. That led to the State Police investigation and Czajka's appointment as special prosecutor.

By entering the pleas, Epstein and Comitale admitted they violated their oaths of office and will not be able to find future employment as police officers, Czajka said.

"A large part of this was to end this sad chapter in the Troy Police Department's history. It was appropriate to resolve the matter this way," Czajka said when the pair pleaded guilty.

The guilty pleas came as jury selection was under way for Epstein's trial. Comitale's trial was scheduled to begin Nov. 13.

The two veteran detectives were headed to a trial at a time when police officers are receiving more intense scrutiny.

Epstein and Comitale each faced misdemeanor counts of second-degree criminal trespass for entering the apartment, and official misconduct for their intent "to conceal their unauthorized and unlawful entry into 112 Oakwood Avenue."

Epstein also was indicted on four additional felony counts including bribery, offering a false instrument for filing and two counts of falsifying business records. He was indicted on six other misdemeanors,criminal mischief, official misconduct, falsifying business records and offering a false instrument for filing.

Lynch dismissed two counts – criminal facilitation, a felony, and criminal facilitation — in July in response to defense motions. These charges were related to the officers' alleged failure to seize cocaine found in the Oakwood Avenue residence.