William R. Vargas

Badge #6905, Hispanic Male
Detective Grade 3 at 78th Precinct Detective Squad since March 2018, active
Service started July 2006, made $173,000 last year, Tax #942652

Substantiated Allegations:
Force: Physical force
Abuse of Authority: Entry of Premises
Abuse of Authority: Search of Premises

Discipline Cases:

Case: 2018-19459
Closed: 9/5/2018

View Details

Lawsuit settlements:
$100,000   Hardy, Levorn vs City of New York, et al., 2017 SDNY SDNY 17CV01837
$17,500   Adegboye, Peter vs City of New York, et al., 2015 EDNY EDNY 15CV07303
$1,000   Wong, Laurence vs City of New York, et al., 2015 SDNY SDNY 15CV06229
$40,000   Marzuq, Farid vs City of New York, et al., 2015 SDNY SDNY 15CV04302
$17,500   Holley, Anthony N. vs City of New York, et al., 2015 EDNY EDNY 15CV01241
$22,500   Murray, Demar vs City of New York, et al., 2014 SDNY SDNY 14CV09294
View Details

Complaints

7 Complaints
21 Allegations
3 Substantiated
3 Substantiated (Charges)
1 Alleged Victim Uncooperative
1 Complainant Unavailable
6 Complainant Uncooperative
8 Exonerated
2 Unsubstantiated

Complaint #201705224, June 2017
Allegation: Force: Physical force
Complainant: Hispanic Male, 26
CCRB Conclusion: Substantiated (Charges)
Allegation: Abuse of Authority: Interference with recording
Complainant: Hispanic Male, 26
CCRB Conclusion: Exonerated
Allegation: Abuse of Authority: Search of Premises
CCRB Conclusion: Substantiated (Charges)
Allegation: Abuse of Authority: Entry of Premises
CCRB Conclusion: Substantiated (Charges)
Allegation: Abuse of Authority: Threat of force (verbal or physical)
Complainant: Male, 31
CCRB Conclusion: Complainant Uncooperative
Allegation: Discourtesy: Word
Complainant: Male, 31
CCRB Conclusion: Complainant Uncooperative
Allegation: Abuse of Authority: Refusal to obtain medical treatment
Complainant: Male, 31
CCRB Conclusion: Complainant Uncooperative
Allegation: Force: Physical force
Complainant: Male, 31
CCRB Conclusion: Complainant Uncooperative
NYPD Conclusion: APU Guilty
APU Plea Penalty: Forfeit vacation 5 days
APU Case Status: Closed: Resolved by plea, December 2020
Penalty: Forfeit vacation 5 days
Documents: Complaint Closing Report
APU Quarterly Report summary
additional details

Complaint #201409262, August 2014
Allegation: Force: Physical force
Complainant: White Male, 30
CCRB Conclusion: Alleged Victim Uncooperative
additional details

Complaint #201407710, July 2014
Allegation: Force: Physical force
Complainant: Hispanic Male, 57
CCRB Conclusion: Complainant Unavailable
additional details

Complaint #201012590, September 2010
Allegation: Force: Physical force
Complainant: Black Male, 27
CCRB Conclusion: Exonerated
Allegation: Abuse of Authority: Search (of person)
Complainant: Black Male, 27
CCRB Conclusion: Exonerated
Allegation: Force: Chokehold
Complainant: Black Male, 27
CCRB Conclusion: Unsubstantiated
additional details

Complaint #200910048, June 2009
Allegation: Abuse of Authority: Stop
Complainant: Black Male, 41
CCRB Conclusion: Unsubstantiated
additional details

Complaint #200807693, May 2008
Allegation: Force: Physical force
Complainant: Black Male, 26
CCRB Conclusion: Exonerated
Allegation: Force: Pepper spray
Complainant: Black Male, 26
CCRB Conclusion: Exonerated
Allegation: Force: Nightstick as club (incl asp & baton)
Complainant: Black Male, 26
CCRB Conclusion: Exonerated
additional details

Complaint #200805813, April 2008
Allegation: Force: Pepper spray
Complainant: Black Male, 24
CCRB Conclusion: Complainant Uncooperative
Allegation: Force: Pepper spray
Complainant: Black Male, 21
CCRB Conclusion: Exonerated
Allegation: Abuse of Authority: Question
Complainant: Black Male, 21
CCRB Conclusion: Exonerated
Allegation: Discourtesy: Word
Complainant: Black Male, 24
CCRB Conclusion: Complainant Uncooperative
additional details

Complaint #201705224, June 2017
Allegation Complainant CCRB Conclusion
Force: Physical force Hispanic Male, 26 Substantiated (Charges)
Abuse of Authority: Interference with recording Hispanic Male, 26 Exonerated
Abuse of Authority: Search of Premises Substantiated (Charges)
Abuse of Authority: Entry of Premises Substantiated (Charges)
Abuse of Authority: Threat of force (verbal or physical) Male, 31 Complainant Uncooperative
Discourtesy: Word Male, 31 Complainant Uncooperative
Abuse of Authority: Refusal to obtain medical treatment Male, 31 Complainant Uncooperative
Force: Physical force Male, 31 Complainant Uncooperative
NYPD Conclusion: APU Guilty
APU Plea Penalty: Forfeit vacation 5 days
APU Case Status: Closed: Resolved by plea, December 2020
Penalty: Forfeit vacation 5 days
Documents: Complaint Closing Report
APU Quarterly Report summary
additional details
Complaint #201409262, August 2014
Allegation Complainant CCRB Conclusion
Force: Physical force White Male, 30 Alleged Victim Uncooperative
additional details
Complaint #201407710, July 2014
Allegation Complainant CCRB Conclusion
Force: Physical force Hispanic Male, 57 Complainant Unavailable
additional details
Complaint #201012590, September 2010
Allegation Complainant CCRB Conclusion
Force: Physical force Black Male, 27 Exonerated
Abuse of Authority: Search (of person) Black Male, 27 Exonerated
Force: Chokehold Black Male, 27 Unsubstantiated
additional details
Complaint #200910048, June 2009
Allegation Complainant CCRB Conclusion
Abuse of Authority: Stop Black Male, 41 Unsubstantiated
additional details
Complaint #200807693, May 2008
Allegation Complainant CCRB Conclusion
Force: Physical force Black Male, 26 Exonerated
Force: Pepper spray Black Male, 26 Exonerated
Force: Nightstick as club (incl asp & baton) Black Male, 26 Exonerated
additional details
Complaint #200805813, April 2008
Allegation Complainant CCRB Conclusion
Force: Pepper spray Black Male, 24 Complainant Uncooperative
Force: Pepper spray Black Male, 21 Exonerated
Abuse of Authority: Question Black Male, 21 Exonerated
Discourtesy: Word Black Male, 24 Complainant Uncooperative
additional details

Conclusion Meanings:

'Exonerated': or 'Within NYPD Guidelines' - the alleged conduct occurred but did not violate the NYPD's own rules, which often give officers significant discretion.
'Substantiated': The alleged conduct occurred and it violated the rules. The NYPD has discretion over what, if any, discipline is imposed.
'Unsubstantiated': or 'Unable to Determine' - CCRB has fully investigated but could not affirmatively conclude both that the conduct occurred and that it broke the rules.

Further details on conclusion definitions.


Discipline

Case: 2018-19459
Closed: 9/5/2018
Case Details:
  1. Pleaded Guilty: Wrongful entry of a premises.
  2. Pleaded Guilty: Wrongful search of a premises.
Penalty: Vacation days (5 days)


Lawsuits

Named in 7 known lawsuits, $198,500 total settlements.

Hardy, Levorn vs City of New York, et al.
Case # 17CV01837, U.S. District Court - Southern District NY, May 5, 2017, ended March 9, 2018
$100,000 Settlement
Complaint
Description: The plaintiff bought crack cocaine on the street and was approached by the defendant officers. The plaintiff was taken to the Midtown South Precinct and charged with Criminal Possession of a controlled Substance in the Third Degree and Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree. The plaintiff never sold any of the crack cocaine he purchased. Because of the added false change, the plaintiff's bail was set too high for him to pay and therefore spent the next 19 months in custody. The plaintiff went to trial and was acquitted on all the false charges and was convicted only on the misdemeanor Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Seventh Degree charge.

Adegboye, Peter vs City of New York, et al.
Case # 15CV07303, U.S. District Court - Eastern District NY, December 28, 2015, ended April 27, 2016
$17,500 Settlement
Complaint
Description: Defendant Officers stopped a car in which Plaintiff was a passenger, ordered everyone out, and took photographs of them with an officer's cell phone. When Plaintiff protested, he was handcuffed, taken to the 73rd Precinct, strip-searched twice, and charged with Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance, Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree and Seventh Degree, which were all later dismissed.

Wong, Laurence vs City of New York, et al.
Case # 15CV06229, U.S. District Court - Southern District NY, October 30, 2015, ended August 12, 2016
$1,000 Settlement
Complaint
Description: An undercover officer approached a male who was standing on his own away from Plaintiff. The male exchanged currency for marijuana. Other officers then attempted to arrest the other males in a group nearby the male and searched and handcuffed Plaintiff. Plaintiff was brought to the 5th precinct and charged with Criminal Sale of Marijuana in the Fourth Degree and Unlawful Possession of Marijuana, which were later ACD'd.

Marzuq, Farid vs City of New York, et al.
Case # 15CV04302, U.S. District Court - Southern District NY, June 15, 2015, ended March 12, 2016
$40,000 Settlement
Complaint
Description: Plaintiff was stopped in street by Defendant officers, put in tight handcuffs and brought to the 13th precinct where he was strip searched. Plaintiff charged with criminal sale of a controlled substance in the third degree. The Plaintiff charges were dismissed.

Holley, Anthony N. vs City of New York, et al.
Case # 15CV01241, U.S. District Court - Eastern District NY, March 27, 2015, ended November 20, 2015
$17,500 Settlement
Complaint
Description: On or about July 20, 2014, at approximately 8PM, Anthony Holley was arrested by NYPD officers while Holley was inside a car with his friends at the intersection of Pitkin Avenue and Christopher Street. The car stopped at a traffic light at the intersection and waited for the light to turn green. When the light turned green and the car was about the move the NYPD officers in their unmarked vehicle cut in front of Holley's car and blocked the car from moving. The officers then jumped out of their vehicle and approached Holley and his friends with guns drawn and pointed at them. The officers shouted freeze and Holley and friends put their hands in the air. The officers arrested Holley and placed him in handcuffs t...

Murray, Demar vs City of New York, et al.
Case # 14CV09294, U.S. District Court - Southern District NY, November 24, 2014, ended July 17, 2015
$22,500 Settlement
Complaint, Stipulation, First Amended Complaint
Description: On June 10, 2014, Plaintiff was working at about 5:00 PM, standing at 5 Times Square, on the corner of 7th Ave and 42nd Street, selling comedy show tickets for LOL Comedy Club. After working for a few hours, Plaintiff took a break at a nearby Baja Fresh restaurant (1441 Broadway) where he ate dinner for about thirty minutes. Upon leaving at 7:45 PM, he refilled his soda at the soda machine. He returned to his intersection where he saw two acquaintances - Denelle Joly and Gary Foreman - across the intersection. Plaintiff crossed to ask Mr. Joly and Mr. Foreman if either wanted his soda, but they both declined. After chatting for less than a minute about business, Plaintiff returned to the front of 3 Times Squar...

Bahadur v. City of New York et al
Case # 15CV00978, U.S. District Court - Southern District NY
Amended Complaint
Description: Defendant plain-clothed NYPD officers approached plaintiff, inquired about a drug sale, and then brutally attacked him until another undercover officer intervened. Plaintiff was arrested and officers alleged he attempted to strike an officer.

Other Documents