By Nathan Duke
Donald Medard, 30, an officer at the 104th Precinct in Maspeth for more than two years, was arrested on Dec. 27 at about 1:55 a.m. on charges of criminal possession of a weapon and later suspended, police said. The officer was one of four men in a car filled with guns and ski masks arrested last week in Washington Heights. Police also arrested Claude Dorsica, 20, of Long Island, and Michael Jacob, 22, and Weldon Robinson, 26, of Queens Village, who were in Medard's 1992 Chevy Tahoe.The four men were arraigned on Dec. 29 in Manhattan Criminal Court.Officers from the 34th Precinct searched Medard's truck, which was parked at the corner of 180th Street and Audobon Avenue, on Dec. 27 after receiving a call about an assault in the area, police said.Police found a loaded Tarus 9mm semiautomatic pistol in the driver's seat of the vehicle, where Medard had been seated, as well as a loaded Bersa .380 pistol from underneath the back seat of the driver's side of the vehicle and a loaded Bersa .45 pistol, according to the criminal complaint. In addition, police found a gravity knife in Jacob's pants, marijuana in Robinson's possession and a bulletproof vest in the vehicle.Police said the serial numbers on the .380 pistol and .45 pistol had been filed down.Prosecutors said they believed the defendants were planning to rob drug dealers in the Washington Heights area with the confiscated weapons, according to a spokeswoman from the Manhattan district attorney's Office. In the criminal complaint, arresting Officer Kevin Murphy said the defendants possessed loaded firearms and planned to use them unlawfully.Dorsica, Jacob and Robinson were also charged with criminal possession of a weapon. Robinson was also charged with possession of marijuana.According to published reports, Dorsica has made a videotaped confession. He was released from jail Dec. 31 on $7,500 bail, according to a spokesman for the city Department of Corrections.Medard is being held on $10,000 bail at Rikers Island, the Manhattan DA's spokeswoman said. He could face five years in prison if he is convicted of a nonviolent crime or 15 years if convicted of a violent crime.No court date has been set for Medard, she said.Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly has asked for drug dealers who may have been robbed by Medard to come forward, promising they will not be punished.The case was still under investigation by Internal Affairs, police said.Reach reporter Nathan Duke by email at news@timesledger.com or by phone at 718-229-0300, Ext. 156.
