A New York State Police investigator has been fired after pleading guilty to lying to federal investigators about tipping off a drug dealer whose fentanyl distribution led to multiple overdose deaths in Dutchess County.

Michael O'Flaherty, 43, of Poughkeepsie, entered his guilty plea Wednesday (February 19) in U.S. District Court in White Plains. The New York State Police announced his termination Thursday (February 20).

O'Flaherty worked in the narcotics unit for Troop K when he warned a former confidential informant about an active federal investigation in 2022. The investigation focused on fentanyl pill distribution linked to several deaths in Dutchess County. According to federal prosecutors, O'Flaherty exploited his position and betrayed his oath to protect New Yorkers.

The case began when state investigators and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration examined the distribution of deadly fentanyl pills. Their investigation led to a suspect who had previously served as O'Flaherty's confidential informant. While O'Flaherty initially expressed willingness to help, prosecutors said he concealed a personal relationship with the informant and tipped him off about the investigation.

"He did the unthinkable," U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton said. "He tipped off a drug trafficker — responsible for distributing tens of thousands of fentanyl pills — to a covert narcotics investigation."

Court documents show O'Flaherty attempted to obtain sensitive details about the investigation, including the identity of a confidential source within the dealer's network. He also concealed phone calls, text messages, and one-on-one meetings with the former informant from his State Police supervisors and colleagues. When federal agents questioned him, O'Flaherty lied repeatedly to cover his tracks.

The two-page felony information detailed multiple false statements O'Flaherty made to federal agents. These included lies about a June 2022 meeting where he told the suspected drug dealer he "might be open to transporting narcotics." He also lied about sending photographs of cash to the informant before that meeting.

State Police Superintendent Steven G. James called O'Flaherty's actions "a betrayal of the public trust and the oath he took as a member of the New York State Police."

"When someone abuses that responsibility, it undermines the confidence our communities place in us and compromises the work of the dedicated professionals who serve honorably every day," James said. "We will not tolate conduct that violates the law, our policies or ethical standards."

Senior Investigator Kurt Labuda, president of the New York State Police Investigators Association, also condemned the actions. "It is our responsibility to not only uphold the highest ethical standards and rule of law, but to instill and reinforce the public's trust in law enforcement," Labuda said.

O'Flaherty had been suspended since November 2024 following his arrest. He was released on a $50,000 personal recognizance bond after his guilty plea.

The former informant O'Flaherty tipped off was convicted of weapons charges in 2024 and sentenced to 13 years in prison. His criminal record includes more than a dozen felony convictions.

O'Flaherty pleaded guilty to one count of making false statements, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison. Federal sentencing guidelines allow judges to consider factors such as lack of prior criminal history, which could result in O'Flaherty avoiding prison time. He is scheduled to be sentenced on July 21 in U.S. District Court in White Plains.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Qais Ghafary and Jeffrey C. Coffman are handling the prosecution for the White Plains Division of the U.S. Attorney's Office.

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