WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. — A former New York State Police investigator who admitted lying to federal investigators after disclosing information about a covert narcotics investigation to a former confidential informant has been sentenced to time served and two years of probation in federal court, according to court records and the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Michael O’Flaherty, 43, of Poughkeepsie, was sentenced Tuesday by U.S. District Judge Philip M. Halpern after pleading guilty in February 2026 to one count of making false statements to federal investigators. The offense carries a statutory maximum sentence of five years in prison, although federal sentencing is determined under advisory guidelines and other statutory factors.
Case Background
According to federal prosecutors, the investigation began in 2022 when state investigators and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration examined the distribution of fentanyl pills allegedly linked to multiple overdose deaths in Dutchess County.
Court filings state that investigators identified a suspected fentanyl trafficker who had previously served as a confidential informant supervised by O’Flaherty.
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Federal prosecutors alleged that O’Flaherty:
- Maintained a personal relationship with the former confidential informant that had not been disclosed to supervisors.
- Alerted the individual to the existence of the covert narcotics investigation.
- Attempted to obtain sensitive investigative information, including the identity of a confidential source.
- Concealed communications and meetings from New York State Police supervisors.
- Later made false statements to federal investigators regarding his conduct.
O’Flaherty ultimately pleaded guilty only to making false statements. The government previously alleged additional obstructive conduct when charges were initially filed in 2024, but those allegations were not the offense of conviction.
Federal Sentencing
The U.S. Attorney’s Office requested a sentence ranging from zero to six months of incarceration.
Judge Halpern sentenced O’Flaherty to:
- Time served
- Two years of probation
According to reporting and court proceedings, the court was permitted to consider factors including O’Flaherty’s lack of prior criminal history, along with other information presented before sentencing, including letters submitted by friends, family members, and law enforcement personnel requesting leniency.
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Prosecutors’ Position
Before sentencing, U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton submitted a letter to the court arguing that O’Flaherty had not fully accepted responsibility for his conduct.
According to the filing, prosecutors asserted that O’Flaherty continued to minimize aspects of his actions and attributed his conduct to interagency politics and historical rivalries.
Clayton wrote that O’Flaherty failed to adequately acknowledge “the reality that his revelation of a covert investigation to a drug trafficker is dangerous and completely unacceptable,” according to the government’s sentencing submission.
Employment Consequences
O’Flaherty had been suspended while the criminal case was pending.
Following his guilty plea in February, the New York State Police announced that he had been terminated.
At that time, Superintendent Steven G. James stated that O’Flaherty’s conduct represented “a betrayal of the public trust and the oath he took as a member of the New York State Police.”
James further stated that the agency would not tolerate conduct violating the law, departmental policies, or ethical standards.
Investigators Association Response
Following O’Flaherty’s guilty plea earlier this year, the president of the New York State Police Investigators Association also publicly condemned the conduct.
Senior Investigator Kurt Labuda stated that investigators are expected to uphold the highest ethical standards and maintain public trust, adding that members of the Bureau of Criminal Investigation are held to exceptionally high professional standards.
Related Investigation
Federal court records indicate that the former confidential informant referenced in O’Flaherty’s case was separately convicted on weapons charges in 2024 and sentenced to 13 years in prison.
The individual was not identified by name in the federal court filings associated with O’Flaherty’s criminal case.
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Current Status
- Michael O’Flaherty has been sentenced to time served and two years of federal probation.
- He previously pleaded guilty to one count of making false statements to federal investigators.
- He has been terminated from the New York State Police.
- No additional proceedings have been publicly announced.
Frequently Asked Questions
What crime did Michael O’Flaherty plead guilty to?
He pleaded guilty to one federal count of making false statements to federal investigators.
Did he receive a prison sentence?
No. The federal court sentenced him to time served followed by two years of probation.
Was he convicted of tipping off the drug dealer?
O’Flaherty pleaded guilty to making false statements. Federal prosecutors alleged he disclosed information about a covert investigation to a former confidential informant as part of the underlying conduct described in court filings, but his conviction was for the false statements offense.
Is he still employed by the New York State Police?
No. The New York State Police announced his termination after his guilty plea in February 2026.
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