PATERSON-- Authorities have sentenced former records clerk for the Paterson Police Department, Brunilda Garcia, 43, to three years probation in Passaic County Superior Court for trying to sell heroin to an undercover informant working for the police from her home on June 10.
In September, Garcia and two young teenagers pleaded guilty to a third-degree charge of drug possession with intent to distribute the drug.
Superior Court Judge Scott Bennion rejected a request for continued unrestricted driving privileges by Garcia's defense attorney, Ron Bar-Nadav because of her driving record that included three instances of driving with a suspended license in addition to two driving without liability insurance that resulted in a six month license suspension.
Garcia apologized to her family, children, and the City of Paterson, and took full responsibility for possessing six bricks of heroin — or about 300 glassine packets before being sentenced.
Bar-Nadav said his client, "had been a stellar employee at the police department and had never been in trouble with the law before".
He also informed the judge that Garcia had made a bad decision due to financial hardships.
Garcia has agreed to give up more than $1,800 that was seized by police at the time of her arrest as part of her plea agreement.