Ramsey, Nutter announce task force that will investigate narcotics officer's alleged corruption

Local and federal law enforcement have launched a task force to investigate allegations that a narcotics cop and his informant lied about drug buys so the cop could get search warrants and raid people's homes.

The task force, which includes investigators from the FBI, police Internal Affairs and the city Inspector General's Office, will review cases made by Officer Jeffrey Cujdik and his longtime informant, Ventura Martinez. Specifically, the probe will focus on Cujdik's methods of making drug busts, officials said.

In an exclusive Daily News report on Monday, Martinez alleged that Cujdik, 34, sometimes ordered him to buy drugs elsewhere when he was unable to score a buy from a targeted house. Cujdik then lied in search-warrant applications, saying he had seen Martinez purchase drugs from the house, Martinez said.

The task force was announced at a news conference yesterday featuring Mayor Nutter, Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey and FBI Special Agent in Charge Janice Fedarcyk.

Fedarcyk said the partnership "will allow us to ferret out exactly what was done and the manner in which it was conducted." Ramsey called the allegations "very serious."

"We have an obligation to the public and to everyone to maintain the integrity of this department," Ramsey said. "And that's what we are doing here." Mayor Nutter applauded the decision.

"We think high ethical standards matter in the entire city, but especially in the Philadelphia Police Department," Nutter said. "We take these matters and any of these allegations very seriously . . . If any of these allegations are true, we will take, I'm sure, the swiftest action."

Cujdik's attorney, George Bochetto, yesterday said there's no truth to the allegations. He characterized Martinez as a "professional liar" with zero credibility.

"I do think that given the news reports and given what's being said, that the mayor and police commissioner have an obligation to investigate," Bochetto said.

But, Bochetto added, "It is crystal- clear that there is no independent evidence of anything other than what this professional liar has had to say."

While Ramsey said the investigation focuses on Cujdik, a high-ranking police official has said investigators are looking at officers who made arrests with Cujdik and at least six other police-paid informants who worked with him.