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Officer Who Guarded El Chapo’s Wife Is Accused of Dealing Drugs
The 12-year police veteran worked off-duty providing security to the Mexican drug lord’s wife during his trial.
A New York City officer named Ishmael Bailey had an off-duty job as a bodyguard this year for the wife of one of the most notorious defendants to step inside a courthouse — Joaquín Guzmán Loera, the Mexican drug lord known as El Chapo.
Officer Bailey had a front-row seat as federal prosecutors unspooled Mr. Guzmán’s long career shipping hundreds of tons of cocaine to the United States and orchestrating the deaths of dozens of people to protect his vast operation.
On Wednesday, Officer Bailey was back in a courtroom, this time as a defendant.
Officer Bailey was accused by prosecutors in Queens of moonlighting as a bodyguard for people he believed to be drug dealers and of selling illegal drugs, according to a criminal complaint. Officer Bailey, who became an officer 12 years ago, was suspended without pay.
Karlton Jarrett, an assistant Queens district attorney, said in court on Wednesday that Officer Bailey had worked off-duty jobs, including as an “escort security” for Mr. Guzmán’s wife, Emma Coronel Aispuro.
Ms. Aispuro’s lawyer, Mariel Colon Miro, said Officer Bailey had accompanied her client to federal court in Brooklyn the day of Mr. Guzmán’s sentencing in July.
“It was one day — three minutes walking her to the courthouse and three minutes walking her back to the vehicle,” Ms. Colon Miro said. “It’s very unfortunate.”
Officer Bailey’s lawyer, Jeff Cohen, said his client’s side job providing security for Ms. Aispuro “is irrelevant to the charges.” His client entered a plea of not guilty and intends to fight the charges, Mr. Cohen said.
“We have a lot of investigation to do,” he said.
The accusations against the officer involve wrongdoing that occurred long after the trial of Mr. Guzmán ended and are not related to the Mexican drug cartel he controlled.
The acting Queens district attorney, John Ryan, said Officer Bailey had betrayed his oath of office.
“Today, sadly, he is accused of taking part in an illicit drug operation,” Mr. Ryan said in a statement. “This kind of malfeasance will not be tolerated.”
New York’s police commissioner, James P. O’Neill, also expressed his dismay.
“There is no place for corruption within the N.Y.P.D.,” Mr. O’Neill said. “When an individual officer intentionally tarnishes the shield worn proudly by thousands before him, he will be held to the highest account the law provides.”
Officer Bailey had worked briefly for a company that provided transportation for Ms. Aispuro, the police said. Officers often work second jobs, but the department would not say if it knew at the time that Officer Bailey had arranged to work for Ms. Aispuro.
The department also did not respond to specific questions about its vetting policies regarding officers’ seeking to work second jobs.
According to a Police Department patrol guide, an officer must file an application with details about the second employer’s name and assignments, which is later approved by more than one supervisor.
The investigation of Officer Bailey began in July after his commanding officer raised concerns about him, according to Assistant Chief Brian O’Neill, the executive officer of the Internal Affairs Bureau. Chief O’Neill would not say what those concerns were.
According to the criminal complaint, Officer Bailey, 36, agreed to act as a security guard and to transport and sell cocaine from late August to mid-September.
On Aug. 27, Officer Bailey first agreed to act as a security guard for a drug dealer who turned out to be an undercover police officer.
Officer Bailey met with the same undercover agent on Sept. 4 in Astoria, Queens, and held open a duffel bag while three packages — one of them containing cocaine and the other two material meant to look like cocaine — were placed in the bag, the complaint said.
Officer Bailey was paid $2,500 to take the bag to a parking lot and give it to a man who was also an undercover police officer. Later, Officer Bailey again offered security services to the first undercover officer, and he was paid $10,000 to pick up two kilograms of cocaine, according to the complaint.
Officer Bailey faces a host of charges including first-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance, first-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, second-degree conspiracy, second-degree bribe receiving and official misconduct, officials said.
Officer Bailey’s brother Joshua Bailey, 34, said his family was in disbelief over the accusations. He described the officer as a dedicated member of the force and a father of two.
“He’s a good man, a good father,” Mr. Bailey said. “I can’t believe this.”
Ashley Southall contributed reporting.
Edgar Sandoval is a metro reporter covering crime, courts and general assignments. @edjsandoval
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