A veteran NYPD captain has been stripped of his badge and gun as part of a federal corruption probe that already has led to the indictment of an Internal Affairs sergeant who allegedly tipped other cops that they were being investigated, The Post has learned.
Capt. Maurice Dalassandro, 47, a cop for 27 years and the No. 2 officer at the 49th Precinct in The Bronx, has become the highest-ranking officer to face possible departmental or criminal action as a result of the probe by the FBI and the Brooklyn U.S. Attorney’s Office.
An NYPD spokesman would say only that Dalassandro’s transfer from his “executive officer” command and placement on modified assignment stemmed from “off-duty employment,” and was not related to his work at the NYPD.
Sources said that “off-duty” work included conducting home and building inspections for such things as termites. Such examinations are needed before purchasing a home or obtaining a mortgage.
The feds are probing whether Dalassandro was hired by another cop, Detective Luis Batista, to conduct an inspection of a home Batista or a friend was buying – and then giving it a clean bill of health without looking at it. It’s not clear why Batista allegedly did not want the inspection.
It also is unclear why probers believe Batista hired Dalassandro to do the inspection.
The allegation about Dalassandro surfaced during a yearlong FBI probe of Batista, a narcotics cop assigned to the 90th Precinct in the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn, and his relationship with drug dealers.
Batista, who grew up with several dealers in Bushwick, allegedly became suspicious of an unidentified dealer whom he suspected was cooperating with the FBI.
The detective approached his one-time rookie pal, Sgt. Henry Conde, now a 13-year veteran working in IAB, to find out if that agency or the feds were investigating him.
Conde allegedly learned that IAB was probing an allegation that Batista hung out with reputed druggie Virgilio Hiciano, and was present numerous times when Hiciano gave cocaine to women. Conde is accused of passing the confidential information to Batista.
Conde was subsequently arrested by the feds on a charge of obstruction of justice. He has denied any wrongdoing.