Ward/Daily News
By Alicia Cruz
Queens Insider
Staff Writer
New York City firefighter Patrick Murray appeared in Brooklyn federal court to be sentenced after his conviction last summer of conspiring to grow more than $500,000 worth of pot in a makeshift hydroponic marijuana farm.
Judge John Gleeson sentenced the former Engine Co. 292 fireman to five years in prison. Murray was also convicted of endangering the lives of three children who lived in the apartment building and were exposed to carbon dioxide gas and fertilizer fumes used in his growing process.
Prosecutors say Murray grew the marijuana in the basement of a Queens home owned by fellow firefighter and co-defendeant, Matthew Cody and was supplying a major drug-trafficking ring that had been under investigation by federal agents for about a year.
A 2009 anonymous call led police to arrest Murray after the caller claimed to have seen him removing lights used to grow marijuana out of the Queens Village home. When police arrived, they found approximately 100 marijuana plants worth about $5,000. Tenants at the apartment home complained that the basement reeked of marijuana.
Murray reportedly belonged to a drug gang called "The Master Race," but Gleeson prevented prosecutors from mentioning his alleged connection to the gang during his trial.
At one point during his trial, Murray testified in his own defense, he perjured himself and Judge Gleeson immediately revoked his $250,000 bail and scolded him for "arrogantly lying on the witness stand."
"He [Murray] has a constitutional right to take the stand, but not commit perjury the way he did," Gleeson said.
Testimony by Cody sealed Murray's conviction after Cody agreed to cooperate with prosecutors in exchange for avoiding jail time. Though both men were earning $90,000 a year as firefighters, Cody testified that when he fell short on money to pay his mortgage payment, Murray suggested growing marijuana to help make the ends meet. Cody rented apartment's in the building, but wasn't earning enough rent money to cover his mortgage.
During Murray's career at the Woodside, Queens Fire Department, he was awarded two citations for heroism.
Judge John Gleeson sentenced the former Engine Co. 292 fireman to five years in prison. Murray was also convicted of endangering the lives of three children who lived in the apartment building and were exposed to carbon dioxide gas and fertilizer fumes used in his growing process.
Prosecutors say Murray grew the marijuana in the basement of a Queens home owned by fellow firefighter and co-defendeant, Matthew Cody and was supplying a major drug-trafficking ring that had been under investigation by federal agents for about a year.
A 2009 anonymous call led police to arrest Murray after the caller claimed to have seen him removing lights used to grow marijuana out of the Queens Village home. When police arrived, they found approximately 100 marijuana plants worth about $5,000. Tenants at the apartment home complained that the basement reeked of marijuana.
Murray reportedly belonged to a drug gang called "The Master Race," but Gleeson prevented prosecutors from mentioning his alleged connection to the gang during his trial.
At one point during his trial, Murray testified in his own defense, he perjured himself and Judge Gleeson immediately revoked his $250,000 bail and scolded him for "arrogantly lying on the witness stand."
"He [Murray] has a constitutional right to take the stand, but not commit perjury the way he did," Gleeson said.
Testimony by Cody sealed Murray's conviction after Cody agreed to cooperate with prosecutors in exchange for avoiding jail time. Though both men were earning $90,000 a year as firefighters, Cody testified that when he fell short on money to pay his mortgage payment, Murray suggested growing marijuana to help make the ends meet. Cody rented apartment's in the building, but wasn't earning enough rent money to cover his mortgage.
During Murray's career at the Woodside, Queens Fire Department, he was awarded two citations for heroism.
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