Police officer is accused of trying to order a hit on her ex

NEW YORK (FOX 5 NY) - FBI agents arrested a New York City police officer at her Long Island home on Friday in connection with an alleged murder-for-hire plot.

Police Officer Valerie Cincinelli is accused of asking her boyfriend to help her hire someone to kill her estranged husband as well as a young girl, according to a law enforcement source.

An informant tipped off the FBI that Cincinelli was going to hire a hitman to murder her estranged husband and the informant's daughter, according to court records. That informant is apparently her boyfriend, according to a source.

The informant had told Cincinelli he knew someone who would carry out the hit for $7,000, according to a criminal complaint filed in federal court.

In February, Cincinelli allegedly withdrew the money and gave it to the informant, who was supposed to give it to the hitman. Instead, he alerted the FBI.

Conversations between Cincinelli and her boyfriend were recorded as they discussed the murder-for-hire plot. In early May, Cincinelli allegedly said the crime "would not look suspicious" because the murder would take place in the "hood" or "the ghetto," according to the complaint.

"With respect to John Doe, CINCINELLI stated that John Doe sells fireworks and that it could look like he was killed over the money John Doe had on his person as a result of selling fireworks," the criminal complaint states. "With respect to Jane Doe, when the CS stated that the hitman did not want to carry out the murder near a school, CINCINELLI responded, "[r]un her the [EXPLETIVE] over, how about that."

A detective visited Cincinelli Friday morning and lied about her estranged husband being murdered. The informant was able to record her then allegedly planning her alibi and destroying evidence of her involvement in the crime.

Then "an FBI agent, posing as the hitman, sent a text message to the (informant) which included a photograph of the defendant's estranged husband appearing dead in his car," the complaint said. "In response, Cincinelli instructed the (informant) to delete the text messages and photographs, citing her fear that law enforcement could subpoena the phone."

Then federal agents moved in and arrested her.

Cincinelli appeared in federal court in Central Islip on Friday to face a conspiracy to commit murder charge. Her attorney declined to comment about the case, according to the AP.

Cincinelli joined the NYPD in 2007. She was assigned to the 106th Precinct in Queens. But in 2017, the department took away her gun and placed her on modified duty because of allegations of domestic incidents.