Named in 11 known lawsuits, $222,000 total settlements.
Anthony, Cedric vs City of Ny, et al.
Case # 802216/2021E,
Supreme Court - Bronx, February 23, 2021, ended August 23, 2022
$45,000 Settlement
Complaint
Description: On June 12, 2019, Mr. Cedric Anthony was stopped, assaulted, battered, searched, and imprisoned by Detective Joseph Ruggieri and Undercover Officer C0398 without a warrant or probable cause. The officers falsely claimed that Mr. Anthony was involved in the criminal sale of controlled substances and other felony charges. The officers intentionally provided false information to prosecutors to induce them to charge Mr. Anthony. Following his arrest, Mr. Anthony was brought to the 41st Precinct where he was searched, questioned, photographed, and fingerprinted by or at the direction of Ruggieri and UC0398. Mr. Anthony was then prosecuted until all of his charges were dismissed on January 22, 2020.
Garcia, Kevin vs City of New York, et al.
Case # 031529/2020E,
Supreme Court - Bronx, October 9, 2020, ended April 15, 2025
$22,500 Settlement
Complaint
Description: On May 23, 2019 at approximately 11:05 p.m. in the area of 1831 Grand Concourse Plaintiff, a 30-year-old Hispanic male, was approached by POs Joseph Ruggieri, Undercover Officer No. 368, and John or Jane Doe 1-10 due to Plaintiff's race. Plaintiff was assaulted by the POs, who struck his ribs with their knees and his back with their elbows and forced him to the ground. At no time prior to this assault did POs identify themselves as POs, and Plaintiff later had to be hospitalized for a broken jaw. The POs then conducted an illegal search of Plaintiff in plain view of bystanders. POs constructed a false narrative in which they claimed Plaintiff committed drug offenses, which fits an established pattern of PO misc...
Stewart, Jeffery vs City of New York, et al.
Case # 027837/2018E,
Supreme Court - Bronx, October 31, 2018
Complaint
Description: On April 8, 2017, at approximately 2:00 p.m., Jeffery Stewart was lawfully present near 1903 Andrews Avenue, Bronx, New York, when he was stopped, questioned, frisked, searched, and falsely arrested by New York City police officers, including Officers Joseph Ruggieri and Leva Gevargiz. The officers, without probable cause, tightly handcuffed Stewart, causing pain and injury to his wrists and hands. Stewart was detained for approximately 24 hours at the 46th Precinct and Bronx Central Booking before being arraigned and released. The charges, including Criminal Sale of Marijuana and Unlawful Possession of Marijuana, were dismissed and sealed on April 9, 2018.
Kempson, Nathaniel vs City of New York, et al.
Case # 027009/2018E,
Supreme Court - Bronx, June 19, 2018, ended January 29, 2020
$30,000 Settlement
Complaint
Description: On June 9, 2017, while lawfully present near the northeast corner of Anthony Avenue and East Tremont Avenue in the Bronx, NY, the plaintiff was unlawfully approached, searched, seized, assaulted, battered, arrested, and detained by the defendants, including Joseph Ruggier and John Does, in an excessive manner without legal justification. The defendants unlawfully approached the plaintiff, touched, grabbed, and battered him multiple times, searched him, and arrested him by affixing extremely tight handcuffs around his wrists. Following the arrest, the plaintiff was taken to a local police precinct in the Bronx and then to Bronx Central Booking. The plaintiff was wrongfully detained for approximately two days unt...
Roman, Heriberto vs City of New York, et al.
Case # 030040/2017E,
Supreme Court - Bronx, February 6, 2018, ended June 3, 2019
$25,000 Settlement
Complaint
Description: On January 2, 2015, at approximately 1:00 p.m., Heriberto Roman was stopped near Morris Avenue and East 164th Street in the Bronx by NYPD Officers Joseph Ruggieri, Francisco Perez, and other unnamed officers (John Doe and John Roe). The officers allegedly detained, searched, and arrested Mr. Roman without probable cause, using excessive physical force, including a strip search, and fabricating charges against him. Mr. Roman was detained for over 24 hours, subjected to multiple court appearances, and experienced significant physical and emotional harm. The charges were eventually dismissed on August 24, 2016. The complaint alleges racial profiling as part of the NYPD's "Stop and Frisk" program and accuses the Ci...
Gibbons, Tariq vs City of New York, et al.
Case # 17CV09100,
U.S. District Court - Southern District NY, November 27, 2017, ended November 13, 2018
$12,000 Settlement
Complaint
Description: On July 3, 2015, as plaintiff was exiting a bodega, he was grabbed by defendants and thrown against the wall, violently handcuffed and arrested. At no point was he informed of the reasons behind his arrest. Plaintiff was thereafter transported to the 44th precinct. Plaintiff spent 24 hours in custody before being released.
Haughton, Roger vs City of New York, et al.
Case # 300664/2016,
Supreme Court - Bronx, March 10, 2016, ended September 7, 2016
$10,000 Settlement
Alejo, Joel vs City of New York, et al.
Case # 026851/2015,
Supreme Court - Bronx, December 17, 2015, ended May 24, 2017
$30,000 Settlement
Vasquez, Joseph vs City of New York, et al.
Case # 026243/2015E,
Supreme Court - Bronx, November 13, 2015, ended May 24, 2017
$30,000 Settlement
Torres, Jason vs City of New York, et al.
Case # 15CV02864,
U.S. District Court - Southern District NY, April 14, 2015, ended November 2, 2016
$17,500 Settlement
Amended Complaint,
Complaint
Description: Defendant Officers approached plaintiff on the street, handcuffed him, searched him, transported him to a precinct and strip-searched him. Charged with Criminal Sale and Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance, which were eventually dismissed
Rivera v. City of New York et al
Case # 17CV00374,
U.S. District Court - Southern District NY
Complaint
Description: On May 22, 2015 the plaintiff was in his car when he was pulled over by defendant officers, told to get out of his vehicle, and the car was searched. No contraband was discovered, but the plaintiff was arrested anyway, brought to the 44th Precinct and subjected to a strip search. No contraband was recovered. The plaintiff was charged with criminal sale of marijuana in the 4th degree. The charges were later dismissed. On October 20, 2015 at 5:50 PM the plaintiff was walking on the street at McClellan Street and Sheridan Street in the Bronx when defendant officers in plain clothes and unmarked vehicles stopped and searched the him. No contraband was found, but the plaintiff again was brought to the 44th Precinct ...