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The ex-cop in Putnam County, Wayne Peiffer, was a member of the Village of Brewster Police Department. He's a resident of the Ulster County hamlet of Highland.
The 48-year-old Peiffer pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act extortion and conspiracy to commit bribery in violation of the Travel Act in federal court in Brooklyn on Friday, April 8.
Peiffer was charged for his role in protecting the two prostitution businesses from law enforcement when operating in Brewster, in exchange for free sexual services, according to the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York.
When sentenced, Peiffer faces up to 25 years in prison and forfeiture of $5,000.
According to court documents and facts presented during Friday’s proceeding, from approximately 2010 through October 2018, Peiffer provided protection to members of a prostitution business and a sex trafficking organization that each transported women from Queens to Brewster, for the purposes of engaging in prostitution.
Peiffer’s protection included advance notice of law enforcement activities and assistance with avoiding detection and apprehension.
In exchange, Peiffer directed members of the prostitution business and sex trafficking organization to deliver women to him, including at the Brewster Police Department station, for free sexual services.
“The defendant disgraced his sworn oath to protect and serve the community by using his badge as a shield for prostitution rings in exchange for sexual services from victims of sex trafficking,” Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, said. “Rooting out official corruption and protecting victims and survivors of trafficking are top priorities of this Office.”
Peace expressed his appreciation to the Putnam County District Attorney’s Office and the Putnam County Sheriff’s Department for their assistance throughout this investigation.
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