A former New York City cop who used his badge and pistol to rob drug dealers of millions in cash and cocaine was sentenced today to 25 years in prison.
Emmanuel Tavarez, 32, an eight-year NYPD veteran, admitted that he flashed his police badge as he and others in his violent gang invaded stash houses operated by at least 100 drug dealers in New York, Philadelphia, and Bridgeport, Conn., in a spree than began a decade ago, federal prosecutors said.
The crew posed as on-duty police officers, wore NYPD raid jackets, burst into homes, handcuffed their victims, and brandished firearms to steal more than 550 pounds of cocaine from drug dealers, Brooklyn federal prosecutors said.
Tavarez had pleaded guilty in April to robbery, cocaine, heroin trafficking, and firearm charges in Brooklyn federal court.
mmaddux@nypost.com