Named in 14 known lawsuits, $692,000 total settlements.
Prichett, Naiquan vs City of Ny, et al.
Case # 736613/2025,
Supreme Court - Queens, December 8, 2025
Algutaini, Maged vs City of Ny, et al.
Case # 801137/2023E,
Supreme Court - Bronx, January 24, 2023, ended March 21, 2024
$7,000 Settlement
Complaint
Description: 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.
Plaintiff did not resist. No contraband was found upon the search of his person. Def...
Bookard, Lawrence vs City of New York, et al.
Case # 501183/2017,
Supreme Court - Kings, April 7, 2017, ended January 25, 2018
$9,500 Settlement
Complaint
Description: 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. Defen...
Summers, Irvin vs P.O. James, Cassandra, et al.
Case # 500176/2017,
Supreme Court - Kings, March 21, 2017, ended April 19, 2018
$9,000 Settlement
Complaint
Description: 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 Janu...
Blue, Valerie vs City of New York, et al.
Case # 16CV05769,
U.S. District Court - Eastern District NY, November 7, 2016, ended January 3, 2018
$10,000 Settlement
Complaint
Description: 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.
Freeman, Sabra vs City of New York, et al.
Case # 15CV06097,
U.S. District Court - Eastern District NY, November 6, 2015, ended May 31, 2016
$10,000 Settlement
Complaint
Description: 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
Conyers, David vs City of New York, et al.
Case # 15CV05420,
U.S. District Court - Eastern District NY, September 22, 2015, ended August 29, 2016
$15,000 Settlement
Complaint
Description: 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.
Giles, Duane, et al. vs City of New York, et al.
Case # 15CV00893,
U.S. District Court - Eastern District NY, February 23, 2015, ended June 16, 2017
$37,500 Settlement
Complaint,
First Amended Complaint,
Second Amended Complaint,
Stipulation and Dismissal
Description: 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.
Berry, Lacey vs City of New York, et al.
Case # 000728/2015,
Supreme Court - Kings, January 22, 2015, ended March 5, 2018
$500,000 Settlement
Summons/Complaint
Severe, Jamel vs City of New York, et al.
Case # 14CV07048,
U.S. District Court - Eastern District NY, December 5, 2014, ended June 23, 2015
$15,000 Settlement
Complaint
Description: 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
Brown, Joe vs City of New York, et al.
Case # 016528/2014,
Supreme Court - Kings, December 3, 2014, ended March 5, 2018
$50,000 Settlement
Bookard, Dominick vs City of New York, et al.
Case # 507385/2014,
Supreme Court - Kings, August 15, 2014, ended November 7, 2014
$15,000 Settlement
Complaint,
Summons and Complaint
Description: 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 ...
Billingsley, Ebony vs City of New York, et al.
Case # 14CV02942,
U.S. District Court - Eastern District NY, May 28, 2014, ended March 22, 2016
$7,500 Settlement
Complaint
Description: 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
Wilson v. The City of New York et al
Case # 15CV06326,
U.S. District Court - Eastern District NY
$6,500 Settlement
Amended Complaint,
Complaint
Description: 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.
