Former NYPD Commander Indicted on Bribery Charges

- The indicted official is Kevin Taylor, 52, of Yonkers, who formerly served as the commanding officer of the NYPD's School Safety Division. He was arrested on February 11, 2026, along with Geno Roefaro, a 39-year-old businessman from Pompano Beach, Florida. - Prosecutors allege that from July 2023 to February 2024, Taylor solicited and accepted "tens of thousands of dollars' worth of bribes" from Roefaro. These bribes allegedly included cash payments, as well as vacations, luxury hotel stays, high-end dining, and Broadway tickets. - In exchange for the alleged bribes, Taylor is accused of using his influence to steer NYPD contracts to Roefaro's company, which markets cellphone-based tipline applications for schools and police departments. - A separate scheme alleged in the indictment accuses Taylor of attempting to extort up to $75,000 from two employees of a company that had a contract to supply ballistic vests to the School Safety Division. - The charges against Taylor include conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud, bribery, and extortion, with the most serious counts carrying a potential sentence of up to 20 years in prison. - The investigation is part of a wider federal probe into a potential bribery scheme involving city contracts and has previously involved searches of the School Safety Division's offices. - This probe is also reportedly connected to an investigation into Tim Pearson, a former NYPD official and senior adviser to Mayor Eric Adams, who is accused of seeking kickbacks in exchange for directing contracts. - In October 2024, as part of the broader investigation, federal investigators searched the home of Kevin Taylor and seized his cellphones. He was subsequently reassigned to desk duty.