MANHATTAN CRIMINAL COURT — A former top aide to Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly charged with impersonating city officials and prank calling top NYPD brass and politicians, including former Mayor Rudy Giuliani, is in early plea talks with prosecutors.
Manuel "Manny" Lopez, 55, a retired NYPD sergeant, was charged in May with placing more than two dozen calls to a host of NYPD officials, union representatives and politicians between Oct. 28, 2010 and March 9, 2011. In most of the calls he pretended to be NYPD Chief Michael Shea, the commanding officer of the police commissioner's office, prosecutors said.
During a brief appearance Tuesday, Lopez's case was adjourned to Sept. 23 for both parties to resolve the case, Manhattan Criminal Court Judge Felicia Mennin said. Defendants typically have to plead guilty in order to secure a potential plea agreement, but the charge could range from a violation to a misdemeanor.
