Somerville Police Department officer Alex Capobianco was arraigned in Cambridge District court last week on charges relating to counterfeiting and fraud.

By Charles Lane

According to information released in connection with the arraignment proceedings, on February 3 of this year, at approximately 3:00 a.m., Cambridge Police responded to the Hyatt Regency hotel on Memorial Drive in Cambridge in response to a report of a customer having paid his tab in counterfeit currency.

Upon arrival, authorities spoke to an employee of the hotel who showed officers two $20 bills and a $50 bill believed to be counterfeit. Through their investigation authorities learned that at approximately 12:10 a.m. that night the defendant allegedly tried to pay hotel staff for food and drinks by charging them to a credit card he did not have on his person. When hotel staff declined to allow the defendant to charge the fee to the card, the defendant allegedly paid the bill in counterfeit cash.

A closer examination of the cash allegedly showed that the bills were made of a lower quality of paper and lacking security strips, watermarks and embossments found on legitimate currency.

Capobianco’s attorney, Christopher Alberto, has made public statements claiming that the current charges stem from political motives, because his client is Somerville Mayor Joseph Curtatone’s cousin.

Alberto contends that the only thing linking Capobianco to the current charges is that he was observed and photographed by security cameras as he was leaving the hotel, and says that the release of the security camera images was politically motivated. He has further stated that his client has no knowledge of the alleged use of fake bills.

Capobianco has been on paid leave with the Somerville Police Department for over a year, following allegations of illegal drug use. He is currently still drawing his $86,000 per year salary from the department while on leave.

Capobianco reportedly denies the allegations of drug use and says that he is actively engaged in attempting to clear his name and rejoin the police force. However, reports indicate that the city is trying to force Capobianco to retire, claiming that he is unfit for duty.

According to reports, if Capobianco were to retire he would still be eligible to receive half of his full salary annually.

As Capobianco is the first cousin of Somerville Mayor Joseph Curtatone, some have raised questions about the fact that he is still drawing full pay while other officers have been let go from the department over the course of his being placed on leave.

Capobianco was fired from the department in 2003 by then Mayor Dorothy Gay after allegedly becoming addicted to and conspiring to sell OxyContin, but was cleared and reinstated in 2005.

After Friday’s arraignment formalities, Capobianco was released on personal recognizance and ordered to stay away from all witnesses and the location of the alleged offense.

The next scheduled hearing in this case is Monday, May 22, 2017.