A former New York Police Department officer, Matthew Lambert, pleaded guilty on Wednesday to three counts of official misconduct and one count of accepting an illegal gratuity in Manhattan Criminal Court. The charges stem from a series of disturbing incidents, including having sex with a woman just hours after arresting her and sending sexually explicit messages to two crime victims whose cases he was investigating.
Lambert, who joined the NYPD in 2014 and resigned in December 2025, was arrested Wednesday morning and appeared in court with his hands cuffed behind his back and a gray hoodie covering his head. As part of a plea deal, he was sentenced to two years of probation, 100 hours of community service, and mandatory counseling.
Upon completion of his sentence, he will be permanently barred from seeking employment as a police officer or peace officer in New York state.
The misconduct began on May 20, 2024, when Lambert arrested a woman for petty larceny. While booking her at the precinct stationhouse, he told her he could "probably" get her a desk appearance ticket so she wouldn't have to spend the night in jail.
After securing her release, he walked her out and said, "I told you I was going to get you out. You tell me if you want me to." The two exchanged messages, and Lambert sent sexually explicit photographs from his NYPD-issued phone.
He later left work early, met the woman in his personal car, and had sex with her. Afterward, he texted, "You're so cool.
Thanks for hanging out."
In a separate incident in March 2024, Lambert was assigned to investigate a missing package case. He sent the victim messages asking for "celebration drinks when this is over" and continued to pursue her even after she told him she was seeing someone.
"Full disclosure, I was kinda asking from the angle of being interested in you," he wrote. "You're just really good looking and seem so cool." The woman eventually blocked his number.
Around the same time, Lambert conducted a telephone interview with an assault victim. The suspect in that case was arrested on June 12, 2024.
A day after his sexual encounter with the petty larceny suspect, the NYPD's Internal Affairs Bureau learned of his conduct and stripped him of his gun and shield. He was reassigned to monitor surveillance feeds in north Brooklyn before resigning in December 2025.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg condemned Lambert's actions, stating, "The defendant's disturbing conduct is unacceptable for a member of law enforcement. This behavior significantly damages faith in the criminal justice system and discourages people from coming forward to report crimes."
Lambert made 96 felony arrests and 101 misdemeanor arrests during his 11-year career. He had six complaints filed with the Civilian Complaint Review Board, with three substantiated allegations including force, abuse of authority, and discourtesy.