Post by Critique on Jan 4, 2007 17:45:56 GMT -5
December 29, 2006
By CHARLES HACK
UNION CITY - A former police officer who is battling the city and several members of the department in federal court was picked up by his onetime peers for allegedly pushing heroin on Central Avenue Wednesday afternoon, according to police reports.
Anthony Mottola, 34, of 18th Street, is facing multiple drug charges, including intent to distribute heroin, after the city's narcotics task force arrested him at 26th Street and Central Avenue at 2:30 p.m.
Police say they found six bags of heroin and $150 cash on Mottola.
Another man, Ricardo Lopez, 30, of 29th Street, was arrested at the same location and charged with possession of heroin, reports said.
According to police, Mottola resigned from the police force after five years of service on Jan. 10.
Mottola filed a civil lawsuit against the city, a number of police officers and two hospitals in Hudson County Superior Court during March of 2005.
The case was then moved to a Newark federal court in August of that year because it involved alleged violations of his constitutional rights, according to court documents.
Among other things, Mottola alleges that he was unfairly disciplined after he was wrongfully charged in municipal court with driving drunk and crashing his car in May 2003, according to the complaint.
The suit also alleges that two local hospitals released private information without his release, according to the complaint.
Mottola's attorney, Tomas Espinosa, said that he could not comment because he had not received notice of the arrest from the suspect.
However, he disputed the Police Department's position that Mottola had resigned; he said Mottola was fired.
Christine Vanek, corporation counsel for the city, said she was unable to comment on the pending litigation, but said the city is planning to file for a summary judgment.
"We hope the complaint will be dismissed," Vanek said.
www.nj.com/news/jjournal/index.ssf?/base/news-0/1167375521141840.xml&coll=3
By CHARLES HACK
UNION CITY - A former police officer who is battling the city and several members of the department in federal court was picked up by his onetime peers for allegedly pushing heroin on Central Avenue Wednesday afternoon, according to police reports.
Anthony Mottola, 34, of 18th Street, is facing multiple drug charges, including intent to distribute heroin, after the city's narcotics task force arrested him at 26th Street and Central Avenue at 2:30 p.m.
Police say they found six bags of heroin and $150 cash on Mottola.
Another man, Ricardo Lopez, 30, of 29th Street, was arrested at the same location and charged with possession of heroin, reports said.
According to police, Mottola resigned from the police force after five years of service on Jan. 10.
Mottola filed a civil lawsuit against the city, a number of police officers and two hospitals in Hudson County Superior Court during March of 2005.
The case was then moved to a Newark federal court in August of that year because it involved alleged violations of his constitutional rights, according to court documents.
Among other things, Mottola alleges that he was unfairly disciplined after he was wrongfully charged in municipal court with driving drunk and crashing his car in May 2003, according to the complaint.
The suit also alleges that two local hospitals released private information without his release, according to the complaint.
Mottola's attorney, Tomas Espinosa, said that he could not comment because he had not received notice of the arrest from the suspect.
However, he disputed the Police Department's position that Mottola had resigned; he said Mottola was fired.
Christine Vanek, corporation counsel for the city, said she was unable to comment on the pending litigation, but said the city is planning to file for a summary judgment.
"We hope the complaint will be dismissed," Vanek said.
www.nj.com/news/jjournal/index.ssf?/base/news-0/1167375521141840.xml&coll=3