Former cop jailed for protecting Queens-based prostitution businesses: DOJ

NEW YORK (PIX11) — Former Village of Brewster Police Officer Wayne Peiffer was sentenced to three years in jail for his role in a commercial sex bribery scheme, the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York announced on Thursday.

Peiffer was ordered to pay $5,000 in forfeiture and to perform 208 hours of community service during supervised release, officials said.

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From October 2010 to October 2018, Peiffer offered protection to a prostitution business and a sex trafficking organization, both based in Queens, said prosecutors.

Peiffer helped the two businesses transport women from Queens to Brewster by providing advanced notice of increased law enforcement and helping members avoid detection and apprehension, said officials.

In exchange, Peiffer received sexual services from the women for free, said officials.

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Co-defendants Luz Elvira Cardona, Roberto Cesar Cid Dominguez, Blanca Hernandez Morales, and Jose Facundo Zarate Morales were convicted of sex trafficking and are awaiting sentencing, said prosecutors.

A fifth co-defendant, Cristian Godinez, was sentenced to two years for conspiring to facilitate prostitution and bribery, officials said.

Submit tips to police by calling Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477), visiting crimestoppers.nypdonline.org, downloading the NYPD Crime Stoppers mobile app, or texting 274637 (CRIMES) then entering TIP577. Spanish-speaking callers are asked to dial 1-888-57-PISTA (74782).

Ben Mitchell is a digital content producer from Vermont who has covered both local and international news since 2021. He joined PIX11 in 2024. See more of his work here.

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