Complaint #201900866,
January 4, 2019

Officer: Butera, Michele
Complainant: Black Male, 27
Allegation: Abuse of Authority: Body Cavity Searches
CCRB Conclusion: Unsubstantiated
Officer: Butera, Michele
Complainant: Black Male, 27
Allegation: Abuse of Authority: Threat of force (verbal or physical)
CCRB Conclusion: Unsubstantiated
Officer: Butera, Michele
Complainant: Black Male, 27
Allegation: Discourtesy: Word
CCRB Conclusion: Unsubstantiated
Officer Complainant Allegation CCRB Conclusion
Butera, Michele Black Male, 27 Abuse of Authority: Body Cavity Searches Unsubstantiated
Butera, Michele Black Male, 27 Abuse of Authority: Threat of force (verbal or physical) Unsubstantiated
Butera, Michele Black Male, 27 Discourtesy: Word Unsubstantiated

Conclusion Meanings:

'Unsubstantiated': or 'Unable to Determine' - The alleged conduct was investigated but could not determine both that the conduct occurred and that it broke the rules.

Further details on conclusions.


Summary

On January 4, 2019, at 11:44 p.m., officers from Vice Enforcement Division Zone 1, including Detective Michele Butera, apprehended [redacted] inside a motel at 3701 White Plains Road in the Bronx. While inside 3701 White Plains Road, Det. Butera allegedly performed a cavity search of [redacted] (Allegation A: Abuse of Authority, unsubstantiated). Outside the 47th Precinct stationhouse, Det. Butera allegedly said, "If there weren't so many cameras around here, I'd take you to the side over here, and I'd beat your ass" (Allegation B: Abuse of Authority, unsubstantiated; Allegation C: Discourtesy, unsubstantiated).
The officers arrested [redacted] on a number of charges, including [redacted] (BR 03).
The investigation recovered video surveillance footage from 3701 White Plains Road (BR 01). All references to video evidence below refer to the time stamp in the video player, not any on-screen clock embedded in the video itself.
[redacted] Read report for details.


Details

Incident: January 4, 2019
Received: January 29, 2019
Closed: April 27, 2020

Reason for contact: Report of other crime
Location: Commercial building
In NYPD 47th Precinct Bronx
Outcome: Arrest - other violation/crime

Witness Officers: Jose Vargas
Video evidence collected