A Lee County deputy is one of three people facing charges for allegedly working together to plant drugs on a suspect to set him up for an unlawful arrest.
Niko Irizarry began working for the Lee County Sheriff’s Office in 2018. The sheriff reported that Irizarry had never been reprimanded in his time with the agency.
On December 16, 2021, Irizarry and two other men identified as 36-year-old Charles Custodio and 29-year-old Scott Snider allegedly orchestrated a plan to target a real estate agent for drug crimes.
The men, who may have worked together on other occasions, reportedly used fentanyl during their alleged operation.
It was reported that Custodio and Snider teamed up in the alleged planting of substances in the real estate agent’s car.
After Custodio reportedly gave the drugs to Snider, Snider reportedly pretended that he was a customer interested in real estate so he would have access to the car in which he allegedly planted the narcotics.
Custodio, who reportedly had “a hatred” for the real estate agent, allegedly informed Irizarry of the man’s location when he began driving with the drugs in his car.
Irizarry performed a traffic stop and found the allegedly planted drugs during a search of the vehicle.
The real estate agent was placed under arrest on suspicion of drug crimes.
According to the Lee County sheriff, someone informed the agency at the beginning of January that the arrest of the real estate agent was unlawful.
A Major Crimes Unit Task Force opened an investigation into the situation. They determined that there was reason to believe the drugs had been planted leading to the unlawful arrest of the real estate agent.
Irizarry and Custodio were placed under arrest in Lee County. Detectives were also sent to Texas to take Snider into custody.
Irizarry is being charged with one felony count of official misconduct, and he was released from his position as a deputy.
Custodio and Snider are each being charged with trafficking fentanyl, conspiracy, and possession of a controlled substance.
If you or someone you love is suspected of a criminal offense, contact Orange County criminal defense lawyer Staycie R. Sena at (949) 477-8088 for a consultation now.