Three Fourth District officers arrested in internal sting operation

From Commander Kimberly Chisley Missouri:

NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release Contact: Officer Hugh Carew (202) 727-4383

March 8, 2011

MPD Officers Arrested in Internal Affairs Sting Operation (Washington, DC) —

On Tuesday, March 8, 2011, at approximately 2 p.m., three officers assigned to the Fourth District were arrested as part of an additional sting operation. The three officers were targets of a two month long confidential criminal investigation conducted by the Metropolitan Police Department’s Internal Affairs Division. This sting operation is unrelated to another Fourth District officer who was arrested yesterday.

The officers have been identified as Officer Sylvestre Bonilla, Officer Dioni Fernandez, and Officer Guillermo Ortiz. They have been charged with attempted receiving stolen property in an internal affairs sting operation, in which they believed they were buying stolen electronic goods. They are expected to be arraigned in D.C. Superior Court on Wednesday, March 9, 2011.

The officers have been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the criminal charges. Officer Bonilla has been a member of the Department for six years, Officer Fernandez has been a member of the Department for seven years, and Officer Ortiz has been a member of the Department for eight years.

“We conduct regular integrity checks and officers routinely pass,” said Police Chief Cathy L. Lanier. “I am confident that there is not wide-spread corruption across the Police Department.”