BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) - US Attorney William Hochul, with
members of the FBI and other officials at his side, announced the arrest of a
Buffalo Police officer on Wednesday.
Robert Quintana, 50, has been charged with mail and health
care fraud. Authorities say the Buffalo Police officer and former councilman
for the City of Buffalo has been on injured-on-duty status since March of 2005.
Quintana allegedly hurt his lower back and buttocks slipping down some icy
steps while responding to a 911 call.
Hochul says Quintana was seen on 11 separate occasions
working at a local neighborhood restaurant, The Niagara Cafe. Quintana was seen
by authorities lifting supplies, cleaning tables, stocking, kneeling, bending
and chopping ice. Nevertheless, in a January 2012 medical exam, Quintana told
doctors he was unable to perform any work.
Hochul stated, "By falsely claiming to be too injured
to return to work, an officer not just breaks the law, she or he hurts the
credibility of those legitimately injured in the line of duty. This type of lie
also leaves one less officer to patrol the streets of the city, requires
working officers to perform overtime duty and thereby increase their own risk
of injury, and drives up the cost of health care in these times of difficult
economic circumstances."
The City of Buffalo has paid $561,000 in benefits and salary
to Quintana since March of 2005 - all tax free. Police Commissioner Daniel
Derenda said Quintana will be suspended without pay, immediately.
If convicted of the fraud charges, Quintana could face a
maximum sentence of 20 years behind bars, a $250,000 fine, or both.
The FBI is now investigating other cases of injured officers
in Buffalo because of the high number on leave to determine if any others are
committing fraud.