The police officer who arrested Real Housewives of New York star LuAnn de Lesseps for battery and disorderly intoxication has been fired over allegedly unsubstantiated arrests.
According to local news station WPTV 5, Deputy Steven O’Leary was terminated from his position with the Martin County Sheriff’s Office after he made three narcotics-related arrests in which the substances involved were not actually narcotics. The announcement was made by Martin County Sheriff William Snyder during a news conference Tuesday.
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Snyder reported that nine people had been released from police custody as a result of the bogus arrests and all of O’Leary’s cases and arrests are now under review. The bogus arrests were discovered after a Regional Crime Lab found one of the alleged narcotics to actually be a powder commonly used to treat headaches and another to be a sand-based material containing no narcotics.
O’Leary could potentially face criminal charges.
O’Leary had been with the Martin County Sheriff’s Office since February of 2018. Along with 80 drug-related arrests in his 11-month probationary period with the Martin County Sheriff’s Office, he also arrested de Lesseps in December of 2017 while he was employed with the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, The Blast reports.
The RHONY star was charged with felony battery on an officer, disorderly intoxication, and resisting an arrest with violence after she allegedly threatened to kill responding officers. During the ordeal, she also allegedly kicked a police officer.
“After the events of last Saturday night in Palm Beach, I am truly embarrassed,” de Lesseps said in a statement following her arrest. “have decided to seek professional guidance and will be voluntarily checking into an alcohol treatment center. I intend to turn this unfortunate incident into a positive life changing event. Once again, I sincerely apologize for my actions. I have the greatest respect for police officers and the job they do. My actions alleged in the police report do not reflect my core values and my law abiding character. I am so grateful for the love and support that I am receiving from my family, friends and loyal supporters.”
De Lesseps managed to avoid jail time for the charges after she agreed to a plea deal that required her to plead guilty to battery, trespassing, and disorderly intoxication. She was sentenced to one year probation, required to pay fines, perform 50 hours of community service, attend two AA meetings per week, have no possession or consumption of alcohol or illegal drugs, and undergo random drug testing paid for by the reality star.
She was also required to write an apology letter to O’Leary.
