Three plaintiffs brought consolidated cases against a Lowell detective and the City of Lowell. In 2012, informants planted drugs in the plaintiffs’ cars. Plaintiffs were falsely charged with trafficking in cocaine; charges pended for over 1 year, over 6 months, and over 5 months (w/ 3.5 months in custody). They faced mandatory minimums of 3, 2, and 8 years. All charges were dismissed due to revelation of the informants’ misconduct. The detective knew his informants were not trustworthy. For 10+ years Lowell police ignored the policy for using informants, which required vetting informants, documenting their work, and not using active drug dealers. The cases settled less than a month before trial.
$139,584.50 to Nel Sothy. $111,665.50 to Jonathan Santiago. $83,750.00 to Mihran Mosko. $370,000 for attorney’s fees. $45,000 for costs.