http://www.philly.com/inquirer/local/20101111_Drug_dealer_accused_of_teaming_with_Philadelphia_police_officers_surrendered_in_October.html
Drug dealer accused of teaming with Philadelphia police officers surrendered in October
An accused drug dealer suspected of working with 25th District police officers to steal money and drugs from rival dealers surrendered quietly to authorities last month.
The arrest of Aaron "Nino" Harris, 33, came two weeks after an undercover sting snared two officers accused of robbing a drug courier of cash and marijuana. The courier was an undercover officer.
Harris and a second man, Timothy Taylor, 25, surrendered on Oct. 18. They face the same charges as the officers, including robbery, kidnapping, and drug offenses.
Police did not announce the arrests of Harris and Taylor, but their court records are publicly available.
Shortly after the officers, Sean Alivera and his partner, Christopher Luciano, were arrested on Oct. 4, sources disclosed that the two had not been the initial targets of the investigation.
Investigators expected two other 25th District officers to help rob the courier, sources said. That raised the possibility that at least four officers were robbing dealers.
Police Commissioner Charles H. Ramsey acknowledged at the time that he didn't know "how deep this runs," but cautioned that the investigation was in its "infancy."
Sources speculated that perhaps only the dealer - described then by his street name, "Nino" - could tell investigators how many officers were involved.
But Harris's attorney, Daniel Paul Alva, said Wednesday "there's no deal at this point, nor is there any discussion about testimony" against the 25th District officers.
All four men - the two former officers and the two suspected drug dealers - were scheduled for preliminary hearings Wednesday.
Alivera, 31, and Luciano, 23, waived their hearings. Luciano's attorney, Fortunato Perri Jr., said he and his client agreed to waive the hearing after reviewing the evidence and agreeing it would be strong enough to move the case forward.
The former officers are being held on $1 million bail each.
Harris and Taylor, who is represented by Alva's son, Jeremy-Evan Alva, asked for their hearings to be delayed until later in the month.
Harris is held on $500,000 bail; Taylor on $150,000 bail.
Daniel Paul Alva said he couldn't comment on the case against his client because he was still investigating the evidence.
"It's very early," he said. "There's a lot of work that needs to be done."
According to law enforcement sources, the investigation began with a tip from an informant to the state Bureau of Narcotics Investigations. The informant said he knew a drug dealer - allegedly Harris - who was bragging about having "boys in blue."
Investigators formed a general idea of how the drug rip-offs occurred, and the sting operation, which was captured on surveillance, closely followed the suspected pattern.
Generally, the dealer would arrange a drug purchase somewhere in the 25th District, which includes sections of North Philadelphia and Kensington. When the seller arrived, the officers would stop him and take him away from the scene long enough for someone to steal the drugs from his car, sources said.
That's what happened during the sting, authorities said. The undercover officer arrived with $3,000 in cash and 20 pounds of marijuana in his trunk. Alivera and Luciano stopped him, put him in their car and drove away.
During that time, someone took the marijuana.
After about 15 minutes, Alivera and Luciano returned to the undercover officer's car with him still in their custody. Then, one of the officers drove the undercover officer to the district in the police cruiser.
The other officer got into the undercover's car and also returned to the district. Alivera and Luciano then were arrested at the district house, and the $3,000 was found in their possession, authorities said.
Harris and Taylor have pending trials on drug charges. Harris' arrest record stretches back to 1995, and he has been convicted at least twice on drug charges, according to court records.
Harris and Taylor also were charged together in 2008 with burglary and conspiracy, but the cases were dismissed, according to the records.
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