Officer Charged in Break-In
.c The Associated Press
BALTIMORE (AP) - A city police officer has been arrested for allegedly breaking into the department's internal affairs office and stealing files implicating a fellow officer under investigation.
Joseph P. Comma, 33, was indicted Monday on charges of burglary, theft and malicious destruction of property in the Dec. 24 break-in. He was held on $50,000 bail.
During the robbery, evidence - including photographs and negatives - against Officer Brian Sewell was stolen.
The internal affairs unit had been investigating Sewell for allegedly planting drugs on a man and arresting him for a drug-related offense. The case was dropped in January when the city said there was no proof without the files.
Comma, a nine-year veteran of the force, was involved in the Sewell investigation, city police spokeswoman Ragina C. Averella said.
AP-NY-03-13-01 1029EST
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