TROY, N.Y. -- Detective Sgt. Ron Epstein of the Troy Police Department is off the job and suspended without pay after an indictment on trespassing and official misconduct charges.

Epstein is a 19-year veteran of the force and head of the department's Firearms and Narcotics Suppression unit. He was served with a nine-count indictment on Thursday and pleaded not guilty to all charges.

The indictment accuses Epstein of breaking into an apartment on Oakwood Avenue this past June while searching for a criminal suspect. That would not be unusual behavior for a police sergeant, but the indictment says Epstein had no warrant, which would make the search illegal.

His attorney, Shane Hug, says otherwise.

"They had an arrest warrant for an individual," says Hug. "They were lawfully at that residence, lawfully inside that residence."

The indictment further alleges that Epstein tried to cover-up the illegal search by filing a false burglary report, and bribing a fellow officer with extra overtime pay to keep that officer's mouth shut.

Hug has known Epstein for a decade, and calls him an honest and trustworthy policeman.

"I don't know where these allegations are coming from, but I can tell you Ron Epstein has been serving the citizens of Troy for 20 years," Hug said. "He intends to defend himself. He didn't do anything wrong."

The case is being prosecuted by Columbia County District Attorney Paul Czajka. No return court date has been set.