PATERSON, N.J. (1010 WINS) -- A Paterson police sergeant who was convicted two weeks ago of leading a gang of five other officers to illegally search, beat and rob the people they swore an oath to protect is seeking a new trial.
Michael Cheff’s lawyers filed a motion in a Newark federal court on Thursday arguing for a retrial on the basis that the guilty verdict was not supported by evidence presented in the trial, according to legal documents obtained by NorthJersey.com.
The prosecution relied on the testimony of the five officers who worked under him, Matthew Torres, Jonathan Bustios, Daniel Pent, Frank Toledo and Eudy Ramos.
Cheff was a supervisor for their patrol shift.
They testified that between 2016 and 2018, Cheff participated in the robberies and served the key role of approving false reports, logging misleading evidence and stymying complaints against the officers.
In one incident outlined by prosecutors, Cheff coerced a man to allow him to search his apartment. Once inside, he stole $2,700 in cash from the home.
The officers would target people in expensive cars or people leaving bodegas who might have just used an ATM.
Paterson has large Black and Latino populations, and their robberies disproportionately affected people of color.
A jury found Cheff guilty of conspiring to deprive individuals of civil rights under color of law and another count of falsifying a police report.
He faces up to 30 years in prison.
Cheff was arrested in 2020 after 24 years working for the department.
He was suspended when the charges were first brought against him, but the department continued to pay him.
The motion filed by his lawyer’s proposes the judge grant him five weeks to file briefs supporting a new trial.
The other officers are scheduled to be sentenced on July 26.
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