NYPD detective pleads guilty to aiding in operation of brothels on LI, in city

A suspended New York City police detective pleaded guilty to two counts of attempted enterprise corruption Wednesday for his part in the operation of a multimillion-dollar prostitution ring and gambling enterprise in Nassau County and the city, prosecutors said.

Brooklyn South Vice Det. Rene Samaniego, 44, pleaded guilty before Queens Supreme Court Justice Ronald Hollie. He faces up to six years in prison at sentencing on June 25.

Acting Queens District Attorney John M. Ryan said in a news release that the prostitution ring operated up to eight brothels, including one in Hempstead, with the others located in Queens and Brooklyn.

The ring allegedly brought in more than $2 million in 13 months, using online ads to attract customers, the release said.

Numerous gambling rooms were set up in beauty salons and other businesses that operated between August 2016 and September 2018, it said.

“The defendant in this case used his position as a member of New York’s Finest to help run an illegal operation in three counties to line his pockets with easy cash,” Ryan said in the release.

The release said Samaniego provided information to the ring leader, such as police procedures, scheduled raids and other vital information that kept the brothels open and in business. Samaniego disclosed detailed descriptions of undercover officers, including their clothing and exact location when they were conducting undercover operations and approaching a brothel, Ryan said.

Acting on an anonymous tip to the NYPD’s Internal Affairs Bureau that some police officers — active duty and retired — were part of a complex illegal operation, an investigation  was begun in April 2015.