Florida Deputy Charged In Drug Planting Conspiracy – CBS Miami
MIAMI (CBSMiami/AP) – A Lee County Sheriff deputy is facing charges that he conspired to arrest an innocent person on drug charges in exchange for sexual favors and a trip to Paris.
Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno said Friday that Deputy Niko Irizarry, 25, had been fired and charged with falsifying an official document.
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“Nobody is above the law, and that includes our deputies,” Marceno said.
Investigators said Charles Custodio, 37, had a vendetta against the victim and promised Irizarry he would provide the trip and would arrange for the sex if he made the arrest. Custodio then had a third man, Scott Snider, pose as a real estate agent and plant drugs in the person’s car, investigators said.
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Custodio then told Irizarry where he could find the victim. Investigators say Irizarry then performed a traffic stop and arrested the victim on drug charges.
Custodio and Snider, 29, were arrested for trafficking in fentanyl, possession of a controlled substance, and conspiracy.
It could not be determined Saturday if the three men have attorneys.
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(© Copyright 2022 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
