Former cop accused of stealing $34,000 from landlord

An East Meadow man is being investigated for allegedly filing forged military orders to qualify for reduced rent and, in doing so, stealing over $34,000 from his landlord.

Eric Smith, 37, faces charges of grand larceny, forgery and falsifying business records. If convicted, he could face a maximum of seven years in prison.

The defendant surrendered to county investigators the morning of April 5 and was arraigned later that day at the Nassau County First District Court. He was released on his own recognizance following the arraignment and will be seen again on May 21.

Smith is an officer of the New York City Police Department in its 41st Precinct as well as a former member of the New York Army Air National Guard, according to Nassau County District Attorney Madeline Singas.

He was assigned to the Joint Task Force Empire Shield from 2011 to 2014 and was eligible to receive a reduced rent due to his deployment. Beginning in 2015 and through 2017, however, he allegedly filed forged military orders with his landlord Balfour Beatty LLC to continue qualifying for reduced rent at the Mitchel Manor community in East Meadow.

"This benefit exists to help armed services members while they are deployed in defense of our county,” Singas said. “But this defendant allegedly filed multiple fake orders and stole more than $34,000 in the process."