By Tyler Clifford
NEW YORK (Reuters) – The former head of one of New York City’s police unions was expected to appear in federal court on Wednesday, a source close to the situation said, nearly five months after his resignation in the wake of a federal probe into the labor organization.
Ed Mullins, who was first elected president of the Sergeants Benevolent Association in 2002, was not in custody early on Wednesday afternoon, though his status could change as the day progresses, the source told Reuters.
The hearing is expected to be held at the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York in Manhattan. NBC 4 New York, citing “multiple police sources,” reported that prosecutors are ready to file federal charges against Mullins. The specific charges and timing were not immediately clear.
Mullins, who was a vocal critic of former Mayor Bill de Blasio, was arrested on Wednesday morning, local media reported, citing the FBI. Reuters could not immediately reach the law enforcement agency for comment.
The union declined to comment on the matter. It represents 12,000 current and retired members of the largest U.S. police force, according to its Facebook profile.
A federal corruption investigation, which included a raid on the SBA headquarters in Manhattan and Mullins’ Long Island residence, led the union’s board to ask for his resignation last October. After the raid, Mullins also resigned from the NYPD job, which he held at the same time as the union position.
His resignation was applauded by de Blasio.
“Ed Mullins dishonored his uniform, his city and his union more times than I can count,” he said in a tweet. “It was just a matter of time before his endless hatred would catch up with him.”
(Reporting by Tyler Clifford; Editing by Tim Ahmann)
