NEW YORK (WCBS 880) — An NYPD officer accused of hiring a hitman to kill her estranged husband and her former boyfriend's daughter was indicted by a Long Island federal jury Thursday.
Valerie Cincinelli, 34, of Oceanside, is charged with two counts of murder for hire and one count of obstruction of justice.
Prosecutors say Cincinelli allegedly tried to cover up the plot by attempting to destroy seven cellphones.
They previously announced they have overwhelming evidence that the 34-year-old plotted to pay a hitman $7,000 to assassinate her estranged husband and her ex-boyfriend’s teenaged daughter.
The FBI reportedly has audio and video recordings that incriminate her. But, her attorney James Kousouros reminds the public she’s yet to be convicted of any crime.
“What needs to happen here is everybody needs to afford this woman the presumption of innocence,” he said. “You will see that there are two sides to this story and there will be some very interesting facts coming out in the next couple of weeks – two, three weeks.”
Cincinelli has been held without bail since her arrest and has been suspended from the NYPD without pay.
“I do not think that she is an appropriate candidate for detention. Ms. Cincinelli, as I said, is a 12-year veteran of the Police Department with a stellar record, with awards, she’s got no criminal history,” Kousouros said of her detainment.
If convicted, she faces a maximum 10 years in prison for each murder for hire count and a maximum of 20 years for obstruction of justice.