Police Officer Arrested For Fraudulent Report

From the Middletown Police Department

On December 10, 2009 at approximately 10:00am Middletown Police Officer Angelo Passanisi surrendered himself to Capt William McKenna, at the Middletown Police Department, where he was arrested on the strength of an Arrest Warrant issued by GA 9.

Officer Passanisi was charged with Insurance Fraud, Fabricating Evidence, and Falsely Reporting an Incident.

The arrest follows a lengthy investigation conducted by Capt. William McKenna, of the department’s Investigative Services Division.

On September 23, 2009 Officer Passanisi, a Middletown resident filed a police report with the Middletown Police in which he reported that his parked vehicle was struck by another vehicle which then fled the scene.

On October 15, 2009, after receiving information that indicated Officer Passanisi crashed his vehicle himself, and then staged an “accident scene” to make it appear that the accident was a hit and run, Officer Passanisi was placed on administrative leave.

Upon Officer Passanisi’s arrest, he was processed and released on a $2500.00 Non-Surety with a court date of December 23, 2009.

Officer Passanisi remains on administrative leave, pending the results of an administrative investigation which has been assigned to Lt. Gary Wallace of the department’s Internal Affairs unit.

Officer Passanisi’s arrest should not negatively reflect upon the men and women of this agency, and appropriate sanctions, should they be warranted, will be levied based upon the outcome of the internal investigation and the adjudication of the criminal case.