An 8-year veteran of the New York City Police Department has been charged with violatingthe civil rights of another, attempted violent extortion andattempted insurance fraud.

Officer Michael Daragjati was arrested Oct. 19.

According to the complaint, Daragjati violated the civil rightsof a victim by willfully arresting him in April 2011, and charginghim with a crime without probable cause and on false pretenses, andfor doing so based on racial animus.

It's also alleged that Daragjati, who operated a constructionand snow removal business while off-duty, attempted violentextortion. In March 2011, snowplow equipment that belonged toDaragjati was stolen. According to the complaint, Daragjatiidentified a person he believed was the thief and arranged to havehim lured to a location where he and a group of men allegedlyattacked the suspected thief, punching him and threatening him witha handgun. They told him he had to return the snowplow equipment orpay $5,000.

Finally, the complaint alleges that Daragjati directeda snowplow driver to intentionally damage a truck Daragjati owned,and then falsely represent to the driver's auto insurer that thedamage resulted from an accident while plowing snow. Daragjati alsoprovided a false account to individuals he believed were employedby the driver's auto insurer in an effort to receive payment fromthe insurer.

If convicted of the civil rights charge, the defendant faces amaximum sentence of one year in prison and a $100,000 fine. Ifconvicted of attempt to commit extortion, conspiracy to commitextortion or wire fraud, the defendant faces a maximum sentence of20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000 on each charge.

The government's case is being prosecuted by Assistant UnitedStates Attorneys Paul Tuchmann, Amy Busa and Cristina Posa.