Federal prosecutors in Manhattan charged the former head of the NYPD’s School Safety Division with taking bribes from a Florida businessman seeking New York City contracts for a school shooting-response application, according to an indictment unsealed on Thursday, February 12, 2026.
Kevin Taylor, 52, and Geno Roefaro, 39, were charged with bribery-related offenses after investigators said Taylor used his position to steer police department business to Roefaro’s company while receiving cash and a stream of benefits in return. Taylor was arrested in New York and Roefaro was arrested in Florida, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York said.
Allegations center on a no-bid pilot contract and push for bigger deal
Prosecutors said the alleged scheme ran from at least July 2023 through February 2024, when Taylor served as the commanding officer of the NYPD’s School Safety Division. The indictment alleges Roefaro paid “tens of thousands of dollars’ worth of bribes” and provided travel, entertainment and high-end dining to Taylor in exchange for Taylor using his “power and influence within the NYPD” to benefit Roefaro’s business.
Court papers describe Taylor as advising and pressuring other city officials — including within the NYPD and the New York City Council — to procure goods and services from Roefaro’s company, which markets cellphone-based tipline applications to school districts and police departments.
The indictment includes details of trips and entertainment that prosecutors say Roefaro covered for Taylor, including luxury hotel stays, a helicopter tour and Broadway tickets.
Separate extortion allegation involves ballistic vest vendor, prosecutors say
Prosecutors also accused Taylor of a second scheme in which he solicited and attempted to extort as much as $75,000 from employees of another company that had an NYPD contract to supply ballistic vests for members of the School Safety Division. According to the U.S. attorney’s office, Taylor sought the payments in exchange for facilitating — and not disrupting — that vendor’s contract and threatened economic harm; prosecutors said the payments were not ultimately made.
Charges and potential penalties
Taylor is charged with conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud, honest services wire fraud, conspiracy to commit bribery, bribery, and extortion, prosecutors said. Roefaro is charged with conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud, honest services wire fraud, conspiracy to commit bribery, and bribery. Each count carries significant potential prison exposure, with prosecutors noting the most serious charges can carry up to 20 years.
The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge Vernon S. Broderick in Manhattan, according to the U.S. attorney’s office.