Former NYPD detective gets probation for sexual misconduct

A former New York City police detective has been sentenced to probation after pleading guilty to using his official position to pursue sexual encounters with women, including one he had just arrested. Matthew Lambert, 33, was sentenced on Wednesday to two years of probation, ordered to undergo psychological counseling, and must complete 100 hours of community service. The plea agreement, which includes charges of official misconduct and unlawful receipt of gratuity, permanently bars him from serving as a police officer in New York state.

The case centered on a pattern of misconduct that began in March 2024. While investigating a reported missing package, Lambert used his department-issued phone to send personal messages to the woman who filed the report. In one message, he asked if people told her she looked younger than her age and suggested meeting for "celebration drinks" after the case, later admitting he was nervous to ask her out. The woman eventually blocked his number.

That same month, while assigned to an assault case, Lambert sent similar messages to the victim, telling her she was "absolutely beautiful" and that he was "shocked" when he met her. Prosecutors argued...