By Laurel J. Sweet
The Boston Herald
BOSTON, Mass. — In a stunning twist, former Boston police officer Roberto Pulido pleaded guilty to drug charges in federal court this morning.
Three days into damaging testimony by a Boston FBI special agent, Pulido, 42, a special operations motorcycle cop and an 11-year veteran of the force, elected to plead guilty to charges he hired himself out as a henchman for undercover government agents posing as high-level drug dealers.
Dressed immaculately in a tan suit, a self-assured Pulido told U.S. District Court Judge William Young he was changing his plea “mostly because I want to spare my family everything that’s going on: the noise, the publicity, the tapes, everything that’s going on. The pain it’s causing them - enough’s enough.’‘
Pulido was charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess cocaine and heroin, possesion of cocaine with attemptto distribute; and using or carrying a firearm during the trafficking of coke.
U.S. Attorney Michael J. Sullivan said his office has offered Pulido no deal.
Pulido is facing up to life in prison. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 6.
Pulido and two other officers, Nelson Carrasquillo and Carlos Pizarro - both of whom have since pleaded guilty to like offenses - were busted by the FBI last year after they agreed to provide a truckload of cocaine safe passage to Boston from the state’s western border.
Defense attorney Rudolph Miller said the evidence stacking up against his client was becoming overwhelming.
“I think his big concern is for his family,” Miller said. “The first and last impulse is to fight, but sometimes when you fight, you don’t win.”
The trial had unleashed a series of lurid accusations of widespread corruption within the Boston Police Department, as a key witness claimed unindicted officers were allegedly involved in illicit drug use, identity fraud and wild sex romps.
Prosecutors plan to put out a statement later today.
Copyright 2007 The Boston Herald