Trenton, NJ police officer charged with conspiracy with gangster inmate
A Trenton police officer has been charged with hiding his gang ties and conspiring with a member of the Latin Kings already in jail over an assault on a suspected informant.
Rudy Lopez, 36, of Hamilton, has been charged with official misconduct, conspiracy and falsifying public documents, acting attorney general Matthew Platkin announced Monday.
Lopez, a city officer since September 2020, has now been suspended without pay, according to Trenton Public Information Officer Timothy Carroll.
“This administration will not allow breaches of the public trust, and that also applies to law enforcement,” Carroll said in a statement late Monday.
According to the Office of Public Integrity and Accountability (OPIA) of the state attorney general’s office, Lopez lied on his job application, denying that he associated with gang members.
Prior to his suspension, Lopez had been in regular contact with a prisoner who is a known gang member, Platkin said.
The duo had spoken of an assault on an allegedly cooperating witness, who they believe provided information used to put the anonymous gang member behind bars, they continued.
Investigators said Lopez also offered to track down the location of the intended target and shared that information with the same known gang member in prison.
Bullying outside of school
In June, the Mercer County District Attorney’s Office announced harassment charges against Officer Rudy Lopez of the Trenton Police Force, following an early morning incident outside Lalor Elementary School in Hamilton. .
Government officials confirmed it was the same person.
“Police officers who betray their oath erode public confidence in law enforcement, undermining the image of the vast majority of honest officials who wear the badge and risk their lives to uphold the law,” Platkin said. in a written statement.
“Instead of serving his community and making it safer, we allege that Constable Rudy Lopez colluded and shared sensitive information with a convicted felon,” OPIA Executive Director Thomas Eicher said in a statement. the same statement. “We will have no tolerance for suspected gang associates infiltrating the ranks of the New Jersey police department.”
If convicted of official misconduct or conspiracy, each second-degree charge carries a sentence of five to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $150,000.
A conviction for third-degree tampering with public documents could mean three to five years in prison and a fine of up to $15,000.
Erin Vogt is a reporter and anchor for New Jersey 101.5. You can reach her at erin.vogt@townsquaremedia.com
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