NYPD Officer Falsified Military Orders To Reduce Rent: Nassau DA

A New York Police Department officer who lives in East Meadow was arrested on Thursday after authorities say he stole thousands of dollars from his landlord by filing forged military orders to qualify for reduced rent.

According to District Attorney Madeline Singas, Eric Smith, 37, stole more than $34,000 from his landlord with the falsified documents. He surrendered on Thursday morning to DA detectives.

“The defendant, a sworn member of the NYPD, is accused of drafting fake military orders and using those orders to dupe his landlord into giving him reduced rent,” Singas said. “This benefit exists to help armed services members while they are deployed in defense of our county, but this defendant allegedly filed multiple fake orders and stole more than $34,000 in the process.”

According to Singas, Smith, an NYPD officer in the 41st Precinct, is a former member of the New York Army Air National Guard. From 2011 to 2014, he was on full time assignment to the Joint Task Force Empire Shield and was eligible to receive a reduced rent due to his deployment. Beginning in 2015 and through 2017, Smith allegedly filed forged military orders with his landlord to continue qualifying for reduced rent at the Mitchel Homes in East Meadow. Based on the investigation, Singas said Smith stole approximately $34,014.00 from his landlord, Balfour Beatty LLC, which operates the Mitchel Homes.

Smith was arraigned on Thursday and charged with third-degree grand larceny, three counts of second-degree criminal possession of a forged instrument and three counts of first-degree falsifying business records. He was released on his own recognizance and is due back in court on May 21. He faces a maximum of seven years in prison.

Photo: Nassau County District Attorney's Office