LEE COUNTY, Fla. — Sheriff Carmine Marceno said three people were arrested including a Lee County Deputy.
Sheriff Marceno said, "Nobody is above the law, nobody, including our deputies" in a Friday afternoon press conference.
The Sheriff said all three men were arrested earlier today including former LCSO Deputy Niko Irizarry along with Charles Custodio and Scott Snider after a several-month investigation.
Investigators say Irizarry is in jail for making an unlawful trafficking arrest on December 16, 2021.
The Sheriff said someone made a complaint to the internal affairs office in January. This investigation revealed the deputy planted illegal drugs into the victim’s car and planned a traffic stop.
Detectives say Irizarry worked with the two other suspects to make fake emails and text messages to build evidence against the victim. They believe these suspects set up the victim because of personal hatred towards him.
Niko Irizarry was arrested on the following charges:
- Felony Official Misconduct
Charles Custodio was arrested on the following charges:
- Trafficking in Fentanyl
- 4 Counts Possession of Controlled Substance
- Conspiracy
Scott Snider was arrested on the following charges:
- Trafficking in Fentanyl
- 4 Counts Possession of Controlled Substance
- Conspiracy
Custodio and Irizarry both had their first appearance hearing on Saturday morning and are expected to be back in court on March 14.
