NY State Police Investigator Pleads Guilty to Tipping Off Fentanyl Trafficker
New York State Police narcotics investigator Michael O'Flaherty pleaded guilty to making false statements after tipping off a fentanyl trafficker about an active investigation and lying to federal authorities.
A New York State Police narcotics investigator pleaded guilty to making false statements after he warned a former confidential informant about an active drug investigation and then lied to federal authorities about his actions. Michael O'Flaherty, 43, of Poughkeepsie, appeared before U.S. District Judge Philip M. Halpern and admitted to the charges.
O'Flaherty pleaded guilty to one count of making false statements, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison. The New York State Police terminated O'Flaherty on Thursday after the former narcotics investigator pleaded guilty. O'Flaherty, who was assigned to Troop K, was suspended when the investigation began in the fall of 2022. Troop K is based in Hawthorne (Westchester County).
The case stems from a 2022 investigation by a state law enforcement agency and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration into fentanyl pill distribution linked to multiple overdose deaths in Dutchess County. Investigators identified a drug trafficker and a network of runners as a prolific source of fentanyl pills in the county. During the investigation, authorities discovered the trafficker had previously worked as a confidential informant for the New York State Police under O'Flaherty's supervision.
According to court records and statements made in court, O'Flaherty expressed willingness to assist the investigation but maintained an undisclosed personal relationship with the former informant both during and after the informant's tenure, which O'Flaherty concealed from his supervisors and colleagues.
O'Flaherty promptly told the trafficker about the investigation and attempted to obtain sensitive details, including the identity of a confidential source within the dealer's network, according to court documents. He also concealed his interactions with the former informant from his supervisors and colleagues, including telephone calls, text messages and one-on-one meetings. When federal investigators questioned O'Flaherty about his conduct, he lied.