Commack Officer Indicted on Charges of Filing Falsified Paperwork

A Suffolk County police officer from Commack has been indicted on charges involving the arrest of a man in February, District Attorney Tim Sini said Thursday.

Indicted was Officer Matthew Cameron, 33, a member of the department since 2014.

Cameron is charged with offering a false instrument for filing in the second degree, a class A misdemeanor. The jury determined that Cameron made a false sworn statement in support of a criminal complaint charging Cruz with resisting arrest. The statement was filed with the First District Court of Suffolk County in association with a resisting arrest charge that Cameron filed against Cruz.  The district attorney’s office had dismissed that charge against Cruz on June 2.

The district attorney’s office also said: “While Cruz was standing up, held by the officer, P.O. Cameron moved behind Cruz, kicked Cruz in his right calf, and pushed him in the back. P.O. Cameron’s actions caused Cruz to pitch forward, breaking out of the other SCPD officer’s grasp.”

The arrest of Cruz came after he was first released by St. Charles Hospital in Port Jefferson for detoxification treatment, and then allegedly stole a car. After a pursuit, he was arrested by several officers.

Cameron was arraigned on the indictment Thursday before Suffolk County Supreme Court Justice Timothy Mazzei and was released on his own recognizance. He is due back in court on Dec. 20 and is being represented by William Petrillo. If convicted, Cameron faces a maximum sentence of up to 364 days in prison.

On Sept. 29, Cruz pleaded guilty to one count of[petty larceny and was sentenced to time served.

Newsday reported that Officer Cameron is not related to acting Police Commissioner Stuart Cameron.

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