Indictment in Cop Affair Case

Former Nassau County Police officer Michael Tedesco, based in the Seventh Precinct, was hit with a 109-count indictment Friday for allegedly conducting affairs at the homes of two girlfriends when he was supposed to be on duty.

Tedesco, 44, of Holbrook, faces 80 counts of official misconduct, a misdemeanor, as well as 25 counts of falsifying business records and four counts of tampering with public records, both felonies.

He faces up to seven years in prison if convicted.

According to prosecutors, in July 2011 Tedesco, who quit the police force after word of the scandal leaked, "fabricated a noise complaint at a woman’s home as a pretext to meet her," and an "intimate relationship ensued."

The cop also spent "considerable on-duty time," at the home of another woman, with whom he also had an intimate relationship, prosecutors said.

Tedesco allegedly failed to update the police department about his availability using the computer in his patrol car, as is required.

"On other occasions, he intentionally falsified data in the NCPD communications system to make it appear that he was responding to a call, even though GPS records show that he remained at a girlfriend’s home," DA Kathleen Rice's office said in a statement.

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Even when he did answer calls, prosecutors charged that he would linger at the homes rather than rush to the scene. In one case there was a report of a possible cardiac arrest, prosecutors said.

Prosecutors said that both of the girlfriends lived a significant distance from Tedesco's patrol sector in the Seaford/Massapequa area.

Tedeco was investigated earlier this year by the Nassau County Police Internal Affairs Unit over his conduct at the home of Tara Obenauer, 42, a Wall Street executive from Massapequa.

Obenauer said in a newspaper interview earlier this year that Tedesco would have other officers cover for his absences, telling her, "Let the...newbies chase these kids from their parties and go to house alarm calls.’’

Prosecutors said the internal affairs investigation against Tedesco was launched when a neighor became suspicious about seeing a police cruiser parked in a girlfriend's driveway on a regular basis.

Obenauer asked for a restraining order in May against officer Tedesco and is also claiming Tedesco's actions have caused severe emotional and psychological damage.

A call to her home was not answered.

Tedesco spent hundreds of hours at the girlfriend's home between 2010 and February of 2012, according to the indictment. See PDF attached. 

He spent almost four hours of a 10-hour shift at one of the homes between Sept. 11-12, 2011, according to the papers.

Tedesco lawyer, Kevin Kearon, told Newsday (paid site) his client should not be prosecuted. 

"There's a big difference between allegations of disciplinary violations and criminal conduct," Kearon said. "Our position is no crimes were committed and we intend to defend that position."

Tedesco was released after paying $5,000 cash bail.

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