FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Despite passing all exams and meeting every standard for graduation, NYPD recruit Emilio Andino remains in career limbo after his aunt, Lieutenant Quathisha Epps, filed a sexual harassment complaint against former Chief of Department Jeffrey B. Maddrey. The amended complaint reveals fabricated charges, racially biased drug testing, and institutional hypocrisy reaching the highest levels of NYPD leadership.
NEW YORK, NY — May 19, 2025 — New York Civil rights attorney Eric Sanders, Esq. of The Sanders Firm, P.C. has filed an Amended Verified Complaint in Emilio Andino v. City of New York, et al., asserting a detailed pattern of retaliation, racial and gender-based discrimination, and constructive discharge orchestrated by NYPD officials against a Black Police Academy recruit—not for what he did, but for who he’s related to.
At the center of the case is Mr. Emilio Andino, a high-performing recruit assigned to Hook Company 24-56 at the NYPD Police Academy, whose aunt, retired Lieutenant Quathisha Epps, filed an EEOC Charge of Discrimination on December 21, 2024. The charge publicly accused then–Chief of Department Jeffrey B. Maddrey of quid pro quo sexual harassment and systemic misconduct.
Within days, the NYPD allegedly began isolating and targeting Andino, culminating in a retaliatory suspension, fabricated disciplinary charge, racially discriminatory drug test, and career obstruction, despite Andino scoring a 93 on his final trimester exam and meeting all graduation and certification requirements.
“This is not discipline. This is retaliation by association,” said Eric Sanders, Esq. “And the NYPD is using it to enforce silence across the department.”
“Different Commissioner, Same Result”: The Adams Administration’s Failure to Confront NYPD Retaliation
According to the amended complaint, Andino’s persecution occurred under four police commissioners—all appointed by Mayor Eric Adams:
Keechant Sewell (2022–2023), who took no public or internal action despite knowledge of growing tension between Maddrey and whistleblowers.
Edward A. Caban (July–Sept. 2024), whose short tenure was marked by continued internal deference to command loyalty.
Thomas G. Donlon (Sept.–Nov. 2024), a former FBI official who, according to the complaint, presided over a dramatic escalation of retaliation inside the Academy, failed to launch any internal reviews or corrective measures.
Jessica S. Tisch (appointed Nov. 2024), under whose leadership Andino was formally charged, drug tested without cause, blocked from graduation, and effectively abandoned in institutional limbo.
“Andino’s case shows what happens when leadership becomes a revolving door, but the machinery of retaliation never stops turning,” Sanders said. “Sewell ignored it. Caban enabled it. Donlon was compromised. Tisch refused to act. And through it all, Mayor Adams stood at the helm, watching his department punish the innocent.”
Racial Slurs, Sexualized Taunts, and a Staged Confrontation
The complaint describes a racially hostile and sexually charged atmosphere inside Hook Company 24-56. Fellow recruit Bahrons Asliev, who is Asian, allegedly directed racial slurs at Andino and made explicit remarks involving Andino’s 12-year-old son.
On April 1, 2025, Asliev provoked a staged confrontation after a training scenario. Despite multiple witnesses, the NYPD failed to discipline Asliev and suspended Andino without pay.
Fabricated Charges and Scientifically Discredited Drug Testing
On May 9, 2025, Andino was formally charged under Department Advocate’s Office Serial No. C-033577, authored by Inspector Angel L. Figueroa and endorsed by Chief of Training Martine N. Materasso. The justification relied on a UF49 written by Deputy Inspector Arsenio Camilo, which allegedly omitted key details, excluded exculpatory witnesses (VERAS, BATISTA, SUAREZ), and distorted events.
Days earlier, on May 5, 2025, Andino was ordered to undergo radioimmunoassay of hair (RIAH) testing—a discredited methodology known to affect Black officers disproportionately. The complaint alleges that the test was neither random nor based on probable cause and was used solely as a retaliatory mechanism.
Despite the humiliation, Andino passed the test.
Top Exam Score, Still Blocked from Graduation
On May 15, 2025, Andino scored a 93 on his third and final trimester exam—one of the highest in his class. By May 16, he had fulfilled all graduation and certification requirements.
Still, the NYPD refused to:
Graduate him,
Assign him to a field command,
Provide any explanation for his stalled progression.
The complaint asserts that Andino remains technically employed, but without status, advancement, or assignment—a form of constructive discharge by design.
Materasso and the Mob: Criminal Association, No Accountability
On May 14, 2025, two days before Andino learned of his exam score, Materasso was publicly photographed at Sobro Garden in the Bronx, socializing with Jimmy “Jamie” Rodriguez, an alleged associate of the Lucchese crime family.
The image was:
Posted on Instagram under the handle @iamjimmyrodriguez,
Time-stamped,
Geotagged to Sobro Garden, 26 Bruckner Boulevard in the Bronx.
The amended complaint cites statements from John Pennisi, a former Lucchese member turned government witness, who publicly identified Rodriguez as a Lucchese affiliate seeking formal induction.
Despite this clear violation of NYPD Administrative Guide 304-06(8)(c), a vaguely worded “criminal association” policy that prohibits officers from “knowingly associating” with individuals “reasonably believed” to be engaged in criminal activity, no action was taken against Materasso.
“While a Black recruit is drug tested and blocked from graduating, a white chief photographed with an alleged mob associate faces no consequences,” Sanders said. “That’s not discipline. That’s institutional hypocrisy.”
Maddrey’s Central Role and Pattern of Abuse
The complaint reserves particular condemnation for Maddrey, who retired in December 2024, just days after Epps’s complaint was filed and her story appeared in the press.
As Chief of Department, Maddrey:
Exercised ultimate control over training, discipline, and internal affairs.
Was directly aware of Epps’s allegations and their potential retaliation fallout.
Took no steps to prevent or mitigate foreseeable harm to her family.
The lawsuit characterizes Maddrey’s inaction as “a tacit endorsement of reprisal.”
It also highlights Maddrey’s history of misconduct, including:
A 2017 internal guilty plea for obstructing an investigation into an inappropriate sexual relationship with a subordinate.
Substantiated CCRB findings from multiple use-of-force complaints.
Recent lawsuits, including claims from Captain Gabrielle Walls and advocate Dana Rachlin, have alleged sexual harassment coverups, retaliation, and internal corruption.
Command-Level Ratification by Tisch and Kinsella
Tisch and First Deputy Commissioner Tania I. Kinsella are named for ratifying the retaliatory conduct under their authority as final policymakers under N.Y.C. Administrative Code § 14-115.
The complaint alleges they:
Had actual knowledge of the retaliation,
Took no corrective action,
Perpetuated a disciplinary structure that punishes association with whistleblowers.
Legal Claims and Relief Sought
The Amended Verified Complaint asserts violations of the:
New York State Human Rights Law (NYSHRL), and
New York City Human Rights Law (NYCHRL)
…including claims for:
Race and gender discrimination
Hostile work environment
Retaliation and constructive discharge
Plaintiff seeks:
Compensatory and punitive damages
Declaratory judgment
Attorneys’ fees and costs
Graduation and reinstatement with a field assignment
Statement from Eric Sanders, Esq.
“Institutional retaliation doesn’t always look like a demotion or a firing. Sometimes it’s quieter—a suspension, a bogus charge, a racially biased drug test, or simply stalling someone’s career until they give up. That’s what happened here. What’s more disturbing is that while they were punishing Emilio Andino for who he’s related to, they were protecting executives fraternizing with reputed mob figures. The public should know this is how the NYPD operates behind the curtain.”
Call to Action
The NYPD’s retaliation machine has survived four commissioners and the full term of Mayor Eric Adams, but its tactics remain unchanged. Whistleblowers are punished, truth-tellers are silenced, and those closest to them are treated as collateral.
Emilio Andino’s case is not an isolated incident. It is part of a larger civil rights crisis within the NYPD—one that calls for immediate oversight, public scrutiny, and structural reform.
“The message under Adams has been consistent,” Sanders concluded. “It’s never about reform. It’s about self-protection. And anyone—even a young recruit—who threatens that culture becomes expendable.”
Case Information
Emilio Andino v. City of New York, et al.
Index No. 155113/2025
Supreme Court of the State of New York, County of New York
About The Sanders Firm, P.C.
Fighting for Justice and Reform to Promote Equal Opportunity
Led by Eric Sanders, Esq., The Sanders Firm, P.C. has a proven track record in civil rights litigation, representing clients in complex cases involving law enforcement misconduct and employment discrimination. Mr. Sanders, a former police officer, leverages deep insight into systemic issues facing law enforcement agencies. The firm has successfully recovered millions in damages and remains committed to promoting fairness, integrity, and meaningful reform within public institutions.
Contact: Eric Sanders, Esq.
President and Owner, The Sanders Firm, P.C.
30 Wall Street, 8th Floor
New York, NY 10005
Phone: (212) 652-2782
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Read the Amended Verified Complaint