Former NYPD cop accused of running prostitution ring
NEW YORK -- A former officer from the New York Police Department is accused of running a prostitution ring while still on the force, reports CBS New York.
Eduardo Cornejo was on the force for 11 years before getting fired last month, according to prosecutors. They allege that Cornejo had at least ten prostitutes working for him.
Cornejo would allegedly drive the prostitutes to motels on Long Island, New Jersey, Staten Island and the Bronx, according to the station. He would allegedly transport them after his shift.
Court papers reveal that Cornejo was caught on a wiretap -- allegedly talking about how he would split the profits with the prostitutes. He allegedly said that if he were to stand outside a motel door with "a bunch of girls," law enforcement would "know what's up real quick."
In a press release, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York Robert Capers accused the NYPD veteran of betraying "the trust of residents of the city he swore to protect."
"Rather than seeking to eradicate crime from the streets of the city, the defendant promoted prostitution and profited from his exploitation of women," Capers said.
In a statement, Commissioner Bill Bratton applauded the investigators from the Internal Affairs Bureau for working "closely with prosecutors in building cases against those who violate the very laws that they have sworn to enforce. "
Cornejo could face up to ten years behind bars if convicted, according to CBS New York.