MIAMI OFFICER ARRESTED ON DRUG CHARGES

MIAMI - A police officer was arrested on charges of buying drugs
from an undercover operative as his colleagues watched on surveillance
video.

Jose Luis Sotolongo, a five-year veteran of the force, was charged
Sunday after police say he bought five Ecstasy pills.

Sotolongo, 31, had been under investigation for up to three months
after police received a tip he was buying and using Ecstasy, police
said.

The officer had just left a party at about 12:45 a.m. Sunday when he
allegedly agreed to buy the five pills, said police spokesman Lt. Bill
Schwartz.

Internal Affairs investigators watched with video and audio recording
devices as Sotolongo allegedly handed the confidential informant $40
and took the pills. When he was arrested, Sotolongo had the clear
plastic baggie with the five pills in his front right pocket, police
said.

Two other officers who were with Sotolongo were relieved of duty after
they refused to submit to a drug test, Schwartz said. They are
29-year-old John Cunill, a seven-year veteran, and 42-year-old Kevin
Cahill, a 15-year veteran.

They were coming out of the same party and they appeared impaired, Schwartz
said.

All three officers will be assigned to administrative duties pending
the outcome of an investigation.

It's embarrassing, Schwartz said. We're held to a higher standard, and it's
disappointing to see one of our own cross the line.