NEW YORK (1010 WINS) -- A 16-year veteran of the NYPD who has been punished for 18 substantiated misconduct claims is now facing evidence tampering charges that could land him in prison, Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced on Wednesday.
Kevin Martin, 45, failed to wear his body camera during a March 2019 arrest and then staged footage of him finding a gun hours later, according to prosecutors.
“The alleged misconduct by an officer sworn to serve and protect undermines the mission of law enforcement,” said Katz. “Public safety and accountability are not mutually exclusive – they go hand in hand.”
While assigned to the 109th precinct, which covers Flushing, Murray Hill, College Point and Whitestone, Martin arrested a driver for a traffic violation.
About 30 minutes later, he searched the driver’s Jeep at the station house and found no contraband, prosecutors said.
Over six hours later, Martin allegedly told his partner he found a gun hidden in a shoe that was inside the vehicle. He then turned on his body camera and manufactured footage in which he acted out discovering a gun in the vehicle, according to the DA’s Office.
The NYPD later presented that footage to the DA as evidence.
According to ProPublica’s NYPD police misconduct database, 45 misconduct claims have been filed against Martin starting less than a year into his career.
Eighteen of those complaints were substantiated by the Civilian Complaint Review Board, the agency tasked with monitoring misconduct in the NYPD.
For 21 of the complaints, the CCRB did not have enough evidence to substantiate misconduct, but also could not exonerate Martin of wrongdoing. He was exonerated in only six incidents.
Substantiated complaints include wrongful use of force, abuse of authority, illegal searches and threats.
Martin’s actions have cost the city over $1 million across at least six lawsuits documented by the CAPstat project. CAPstat’s database only covers lawsuits filed between 2015 and 2018.
In 2011, 2012 and 2016, Martin’s misconduct resulted in “charges and specifications” — the most severe level of internal discipline available. That type of discipline can result in loss of vacation hours, suspension without pay or outright firing, though the NYPD opted not to fire him despite repeated misconduct warranting the most serious level of punishment available.
He was suspended without pay following the internal investigation into the evidence tampering incident he now faces criminal charges for.
If found guilty, he could be sentenced to up to four years in prison.
His next court date is slated for Aug. 18.
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