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| Michael Daragjati, 33 now former NYPD Officer leaving court after pleading guilty to false arrest. |
“I screwed up now. It’s all over — my career is over,” Michael Daragjati, 33, moaned in a Brooklyn federal courtroom packed with friends, relatives and his weeping wife.
“You kicked it to the curb,” agreed Judge William Kuntz II as he sentenced the eight-year NYPD veteran to 57 months in prison. Daragjati, 33, who has been locked up since his arrest last October, pleaded guilty in January to two separate crimes — extortion and civil-rights violation.
“You kicked it to the curb,” agreed Judge William Kuntz II as he sentenced the eight-year NYPD veteran to 57 months in prison. Daragjati, 33, who has been locked up since his arrest last October, pleaded guilty in January to two separate crimes — extortion and civil-rights violation.
On April 15, 2011, Daragjati falsely busted Kenrick Gray, 32, on a charge of resisting arrest after they exchanged angry words on the street while the officer was on plainclothes patrol.
After Gray’s arrest, FBI agents caught Daragjati on a recorded phone call bragging that he “fried another n----r.” Gray spent two days in jail.
He is now suing Daragjati, who was sentenced yesterday to nine months in prison for violating Gray’s civil rights.
Daragjati was sentenced to another 48 months for a March 2011 incident, in which the off-duty cop and a group of buddies assaulted and threatened a man they accused of stealing Daragjati’s snowplow.
“You don’t take the law into your own hands. It’s pretty basic,” Assistant US Attorney Paul Tuchman said at yesterday’s sentencing.
“He should know better. He’s a police officer.”
Daragjati wrote in an earlier letter to the judge, “I did not use the word out of racist motivation, but instead as part of the culture I was accustomed to . . . It was used as an ignorant reference to those people on the street because of their disrespect for the community and members of law enforcement.”
The judge read that in court and then told him: “My goodness, sir, you just made the worst argument that a police officer could make.”
After his sentencing, Daragjati waved to his family as he was led out of the courtroom, saying, “I love you guys.”
His lawyer, Ronald Fischetti, said the 48-month sentence given Daragjati was “much too harsh.”
As he left the courtroom, Daragjati’s brother said “That’s the f--king justice system for you.”
Eight of Daragjati former NYPD colleagues wrote the judge in support of him.
Daragjati had been in trouble before. The city paid out $70,000 in two lawsuits filed against the cop for unlawful arrest.
He is now suing Daragjati, who was sentenced yesterday to nine months in prison for violating Gray’s civil rights.
Daragjati was sentenced to another 48 months for a March 2011 incident, in which the off-duty cop and a group of buddies assaulted and threatened a man they accused of stealing Daragjati’s snowplow.
“You don’t take the law into your own hands. It’s pretty basic,” Assistant US Attorney Paul Tuchman said at yesterday’s sentencing.
“He should know better. He’s a police officer.”
Daragjati wrote in an earlier letter to the judge, “I did not use the word out of racist motivation, but instead as part of the culture I was accustomed to . . . It was used as an ignorant reference to those people on the street because of their disrespect for the community and members of law enforcement.”
The judge read that in court and then told him: “My goodness, sir, you just made the worst argument that a police officer could make.”
After his sentencing, Daragjati waved to his family as he was led out of the courtroom, saying, “I love you guys.”
His lawyer, Ronald Fischetti, said the 48-month sentence given Daragjati was “much too harsh.”
As he left the courtroom, Daragjati’s brother said “That’s the f--king justice system for you.”
Eight of Daragjati former NYPD colleagues wrote the judge in support of him.
Daragjati had been in trouble before. The city paid out $70,000 in two lawsuits filed against the cop for unlawful arrest.
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