{"active":true,"first_name":"Joseph","last_name":"Spataro","race":"White","gender":"Male","rank":"DT2","command":{"command":"VED ZN2","assignment_date":"2023-03-06","id":"248"},"shield_no":4892,"taxid":"945402","complaint_ids":[202410777,202310637,201410065,201308992,200902206],"command_history":[{"command":"DBQS","id":"378"},{"command":"BS IRT"},{"command":"NARCBBN","id":"92"}],"appt_date":"2008-01-17","middle_initial":"C","shield_no_history":[31616],"lawsuits":[{"name":"Prichett, Naiquan vs City of Ny, et al.","start_date":"2025-12-08","payout_amount":0,"disposition":"","docket":"736613/2025","court":"Supreme Court - Queens"},{"name":"Algutaini, Maged vs City of Ny, et al.","start_date":"2023-01-24","disposition_date":"2024-03-21","payout_amount":7000,"disposition":"Settlement","docket":"801137/2023E","court":"Supreme Court - Bronx","summary":"On October 29, 2020 Plaintiff  Maged Algutaini was lawfully present inside a bodega in Bronx, NY. Plaintiff was using the restroom at the location when NYPD officers, including NYPD Police Detective Joseph Spataro and other officers, suddenly arrived and began an unlawful search of the premises. Police officers claimed to have found loose marijuana by the register, and began an unlawful pat-down search of Plaintiff, while arresting him and placing metal handcuffs. Plaintiff did not commit a crime prior to police contact and gave the police officers no reasonable or objective basis to believe he had, or was committing a crime. \n\nPlaintiff did not resist. No contraband was found upon the search of his person. Defendant officers then transported Plaintiff to the 43rd Precinct where Plaintiff was fingerprinted, photographed, and unlawfully detained in a holding cell. Defendant officers made false statements that Plaintiff had committed multiple crimes without legal or factual basis. Plaintiff was released from unlawful custody after approximately 8 hours with a Desk Appearance Ticket. All charges were dismissed in March, 2021.","documents":[{"url":"https://iapps.courts.state.ny.us/nyscef/ViewDocument?docIndex=qJ4t5eTp6CXK34UtJl/Xsw==","type":"complaint"}]},{"name":"Bookard, Lawrence vs City of New York, et al.","start_date":"2017-04-07","disposition_date":"2018-01-25","payout_amount":9500,"disposition":"Settlement","docket":"501183/2017","court":"Supreme Court - Kings","officer_name":"Spataro, Joseph C.","summary":"On or about March 13, 2014 at or around 9:30 pm, Plaintiff was lawfully within the vicinity of 730 Herkimer Street in Brooklyn, NY when Defendants, NYPD officers including Officer Joseph Spataro, and Officers John Doe, entered and searched the premises and Plaintiff without a warrant or probable cause. Defendants falsely claimed that they found marijuana in the apartment in a separate room from where Plaintiff was located. Defendants arrested Plaintiff and put him in handcuffs. Plaintiff was taken to the police precinct where he was strip searched. At the precinct, Defendant Spataro falsely informed the Kings County District Attorney's Office that he had observed Plaintiff commit various crimes/ offenses. Defendants, then forwarded the false allegations to the DA's Office in order to justify the unlawful arrest of Plaintiff and to persuade the DA's office to commence the criminal prosecution of Plaintiff. The Plaintiff was then taken to Central Booking and was arraigned. Plaintiff spent over 24 hours in custody before being released. Plaintiff appeared in court as required and on January 7, 2015, the case was adjourned in contemplation of dismissal. On July 7, 2015, Plaintiff's criminal case was dismissed. As a result of Defendants actions, Plaintiff suffered emotional distress, mental anguish, fear, pain, bodily injury, embarrassment, anxiety and humiliation.","documents":[{"url":"https://iapps.courts.state.ny.us/nyscef/ViewDocument?docIndex=VaSfz0cGpjldXXy5keoACw==","type":"complaint"}]},{"name":"Summers, Irvin vs P.O. James, Cassandra, et al.","start_date":"2017-03-21","disposition_date":"2018-04-19","payout_amount":9000,"disposition":"Settlement","docket":"500176/2017","court":"Supreme Court - Kings","officer_name":"Spataro, Joseph C.","summary":"On or about January 4, 2014 at approximately 10:30 a.m. Plaintiff was lawfully walking along Lewis Avenue when POs Cassandra James, Ehtasham Khan, Dets. Andrew Prendergast, Spataro, and Sgt. Adan Munoz unlawfully approached, physically grabbed Plaintiff, and threw him against a wall without legal justification. POs then unlawfully searched Plaintiff without legal justification, and found no weapons or contraband. Nevertheless, POs handcuffed and arrested Plaintiff and took him to the 81st Precinct, where they forwarded false information to initiate a malicious prosecution. Plaintiff was wrongfully held for approximately 12 hours before his release. All charges against Plaintiff were ultimately dismissed on January 2, 2015. Plaintiff suffered severe physical, psychological, and emotional trauma as a result of this incident.","documents":[{"url":"https://iapps.courts.state.ny.us/nyscef/ViewDocument?docIndex=1Kau2S4qJEbaKoZV5kD1OA==","type":"complaint"}]},{"name":"Blue, Valerie vs City of New York, et al.","start_date":"2016-11-07","disposition_date":"2018-01-03","payout_amount":10000,"disposition":"Settlement","docket":"16CV05769","court":"U.S. District Court - Eastern District NY","officer_name":"Spataro, Joseph C.","summary":"Defendant Officers broke down Plaintiff's door with a \"no-knock warrant\", threw Plaintiff, who was naked, onto the floor,  and pointed their guns at her.  Officers let Plaintiff dress, then searched her and her apartment, arrested her, and brought her to the 81st Precinct.  Officers falsely alleged that Marihuana, MDMA, Crack Cocaine, unloaded semi-automatic pistol and a .380 casing were recovered from the plaintiff's room. Plaintiff was charged with 220.16, 220.50, 221.15, 220.06, 265.01-b, 220.03, 221.10, 221.05, and 10-133, which were all later dismissed.","documents":[{"url":"https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.nyed.392341.1.0.pdf","type":"complaint"}],"url":"https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/4521408/blue-v-the-city-of-new-york/"},{"name":"Freeman, Sabra vs City of New York, et al.","start_date":"2015-11-06","disposition_date":"2016-05-31","payout_amount":10000,"disposition":"Settlement","docket":"15CV06097","court":"U.S. District Court - Eastern District NY","officer_name":"Spataro, Joseph C.","summary":"Plaintiff was at her neighbors apartment when Defendant Officers forcibly entered, arrested everyone inside, tightly handcuffed Plaintiff, and groped and searched her.  Plaintiff was brought to the 77th precinct, searched again, and charged with PL 220.03 'Criminal possession of a controlled substance in the seventh degree', which was ACD'd","documents":[{"url":"https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/4922516-Freeman-v-The-City-of-New-York-et-al","type":"complaint"}],"url":"https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/4324897/freeman-v-the-city-of-new-york/"},{"name":"Conyers, David vs City of New York, et al.","start_date":"2015-09-22","disposition_date":"2016-08-29","payout_amount":15000,"disposition":"Settlement","docket":"15CV05420","court":"U.S. District Court - Eastern District NY","officer_name":"Spataro, Joseph C.","summary":"Plaintiff gave a panhandler money while he was sitting in his car, was then approached by defendant officers, who searched plaintiff and the car.  Officers arrested Plaintiff for a knife and cocaine allegedly found in the vehicle and prosecuted him but all charges were dismissed and sealed.","documents":[{"url":"https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/4921066-Conyers-v-City-of-New-York-et-al","type":"complaint"}],"url":"https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/4324796/conyers-v-city-of-new-york/"},{"name":"Giles, Duane, et al. vs City of New York, et al.","start_date":"2015-02-23","disposition_date":"2017-06-16","payout_amount":37500,"disposition":"Settlement","docket":"15CV00893","court":"U.S. District Court - Eastern District NY","officer_name":"Spataro, Joseph C.","summary":"Plaintiff were in a multi-apartment home when Defendant Officers unlawfully gained entry, searched the apartments, and falsely claimed to find loose crack-cocaine. 3 Plaintiffs were charged with crimes that were all dismissed.","documents":[{"url":"https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.nyed.366448/gov.uscourts.nyed.366448.13.0.pdf","type":"complaint"},{"url":"https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/4920481-Giles-v-City-of-New-York-et-al"},{"url":"https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/4920482-Giles-v-City-of-New-York-et-al"},{"url":"https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/4920483-Giles-v-City-of-New-York-et-al"}],"url":"https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/47846841/giles-v-city-of-new-york/"},{"name":"Berry, Lacey vs City of New York, et al.","start_date":"2015-01-22","disposition_date":"2018-03-05","payout_amount":500000,"disposition":"Settlement","docket":"000728/2015","court":"Supreme Court - Kings","officer_name":"Spataro, Joseph C.","documents":[{"url":"https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/4923079-Berry-v-City-of-New-York-et-al"}]},{"name":"Severe, Jamel vs City of New York, et al.","start_date":"2014-12-05","disposition_date":"2015-06-23","payout_amount":15000,"disposition":"Settlement","docket":"14CV07048","court":"U.S. District Court - Eastern District NY","officer_name":"Spataro, Joseph C.","summary":"Plaintiff was sitting in a parked car and gave change to a panhandler when Defendant Officers approached him and accused him of selling drugs.  Officers searched the car, arrested plaintiff, and made false charges against him which were later ACD'd","documents":[{"url":"https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/4920312-Severe-v-The-City-of-New-York-et-al","type":"complaint"}],"url":"https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/4323928/severe-v-the-city-of-new-york/"},{"officer_name":"Spataro, Joseph C.","disposition":"Settlement","start_date":"2014-12-03","disposition_date":"2018-03-05","court":"Supreme Court - Kings","docket":"016528/2014","name":"Brown, Joe vs City of New York, et al.","payout_amount":50000},{"name":"Bookard, Dominick vs City of New York, et al.","start_date":"2014-08-15","disposition_date":"2014-11-07","payout_amount":15000,"disposition":"Settlement","docket":"507385/2014","court":"Supreme Court - Kings","officer_name":"Spataro, Joseph C.","summary":"On or about October 11, 2013 Plaintiff was inside his residence when PO Joseph Spataro and POs John Does 1-10 entered without a warrant, searched Plaintiff and his residence, and placed him under arrest with his arms tightly behind his back without legal justification. Plaintiff was taken to a precinct where  he was criminally processed, including an unjustified strip search. Plaintiff was charged with various drug charges, though at no time did he possess a controlled substance or drug paraphernalia. Regardless, POs falsely stated that Plaintiff possessed a controlled substance, crack cocaine, and that empty ziplock bags constituted drug paraphernalia. Plaintiff spent approximately 36 hours in illegal custody and made approximately 4 court appearances before all charges against him were dismissed in their entirety on March 11, 2014. Plaintiff sustained mental anguish, shock, fear for his safety, apprehension, embarrassment, humiliation, and deprivation of his constitutional rights as a result of this incident.","documents":[{"url":"https://iapps.courts.state.ny.us/nyscef/ViewDocument?docIndex=Bwg7mvPj0vrozvNmkwI87Q==","type":"complaint"},{"url":"https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/4926422-Dominick-Bookard-v-The-City-of-New-York-et-al"}]},{"name":"Billingsley, Ebony vs City of New York, et al.","start_date":"2014-05-28","disposition_date":"2016-03-22","payout_amount":7500,"disposition":"Settlement","docket":"14CV02942","court":"U.S. District Court - Eastern District NY","officer_name":"Spataro, Joseph C.","summary":"While Plaintiff was in her home, Defendant Officers attempted to gain entry by banging on the door without identifying themselves as Officers.  Plaintiff tried to prevent them from coming in and hid in a closet after they forced their way in the door. Defendant Officers arrested and brought Plaintiff to the 81st precinct, issued a summons for Criminal Possession of Marijuana, which was ACD'd","documents":[{"url":"https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/4920148-Billingsley-v-The-City-of-New-York-et-al","type":"complaint"}],"url":"https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/13241717/billingsley-v-the-city-of-new-york/"},{"name":"Wilson v. The City of New York et al","court":"U.S. District Court - Eastern District NY","payout_amount":6500,"disposition":"Settlement","summary":"Defendant Officer approached Plaintiff and his friends who were sitting in front of a corner store, searched him, took money that wasn't vouchered, tightly handcuffed him, and took him to the 81st Precinct.  Plaintiff was subjected to a strip search and falsely charged with 220.39(1) Criminal sale of a controlled substance in the third degree.  The DA declined to prosecute Plaintiff after their own investigation.","documents":[{"url":"https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/4921260-Wilson-v-The-City-of-New-York-et-al"},{"url":"https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/4921259-Wilson-v-The-City-of-New-York-et-al"}],"docket":"15CV06326","officer_name":"Joseph C. Spataro","url":"https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/4324936/wilson-v-the-city-of-new-york/"}],"documents":[{"url":"https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/24441170-bronx-notified-officers-list-edited_redacted-redacted_redacted","type":"credibility-finding"},{"url":"https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/21029120-spataro-2434e97cd3cfc48f0b58801db41a01b9008862f1","type":"brady-giglio"}],"image":"https://www.50-a.org/images/officer/89S7-joseph-spataro.jpg","payroll":{"salary":"119980","regular":"115753","overtime":"57414","other":"24921","total":"198088"},"id":"89S7","url":"https://www.50-a.org/officer/89S7"}