Guilty! Drug seizure money doesn't go in your sock.

August 30th, 2023

BRIDGEPORT — A veteran city police officer received a suspended sentence Wednesday after he pleaded guilty to taking money from a 2021 drug raid.

Christopher Martin had served 21 years as a city police officer before resigning shortly after his arrest.

"I apologize for my actions," Martin told Superior Court Judge Tracy Lee Dayton.

"This was a sad result after a long career in law enforcement," the judge said.

She then sentenced Martin, who pleaded guilty to second-degree larceny, to a suspended two-year term followed by three years of conditional discharge, an unsupervised form of probation.

"He's obviously mortified to be here," Martin's lawyer, John R. Gulash, said as he and Martin left the Fairfield County Courthouse. "But he has a strong support network and he is trying to move forward with his life."

On Nov. 11, 2021, Martin was part of a federal and statewide task force investigating large-scale drug trafficking in the city, according to police.

Following a three-month investigation police said the task force moved in and arrested two Waterbury brothers who they had information were moving large quantities of cocaine into the city. Police said they seized nearly four pounds of cocaine and a quantity of cash.

During the processing of one of the suspect's vehicle's, police said an inspector from the State's Attorney's Office observed that $500 previously documented in the vehicle had been removed. Operations were immediately halted and a search for the money commenced.

Police said a second inspector saw Martin move a quantity of cash from his sock to his pants pocket. Martin was subsequently found to be in possession of $500 in cash, police said.

Martin was arrested on site by the Bridgeport Police Department. He was released on $10,000 bond.

"The Bridgeport Police Department took immediate action by arresting him upon becoming aware of his actions," said then Acting Police Chief Rebeca Garcia. She said Martin immediately submitted his resignation prior to being suspended without pay.