Former Philadelphia police officer convicted of corruption



PHILADELPHIA - December 3, 2013 (WPVI) -- A 23-year veteran of the Philadelphia Police force was found guilty Monday of interfering with a federal drug investigation.
52-year-old Rafael Cordero of Philadelphia was convicted by a federal jury for passing along sensitive information about a drug investigation to his half-brother, David Garcia, who is an alleged member of the Christian Serrano/Edwin Medina Drug Trafficking Organizations.
Prosecutors say Cordero tipped Garcia off to a surveillance camera installed by the DEA to monitor drug related activities at a garage, located at 538 East Indiana Street in Philadelphia.
In addition, when the FBI and DEA executed search warrants at several locations, including the garage, Cordero showed up at the locations without having any official reason to be there - allegedly informed of the raids by his half-brother. Authorities found him looking in the windows of the garage, and when asked what he was doing, Cordero allegedly lied about his reasons for being there, and even offered to assist in the search.
Cordero then called Garcia immediately after leaving the garage to share with him details about the search. In a subsequent phone call Cordero allegedly told Garcia, "When you get home take my picture down."
Garcia also removed a recording that law enforcement missed during the search which captured footage of Cordero at the garage at the time of the search. Prosecutors say Cordero never informed law enforcement of the video tape's existence.
In addition, prosecutors say that between January and July of 2011, David Garcia was permitted to store money at Cordero's home, which Cordero apparently knew were the proceeds of illegal drug sales. After DEA agents arrested David Garcia on July 27, 2011, Cordero allegedly had his brother, E.C., take the money, thereby obstructing justice.
Cordero faces a maximum possible sentence of 20 years in prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.