New York ( CNN ) -- A veteran New York police officer accused of equipping a robbery crew with state-of-the art police equipment and helping them loot drug dealers out of $ 1 million pleaded not guilty in federal court Thursday . Jose Tejada , 45 , also is accused of allowing the robbery crew to use his Manhattan apartment for their enterprise . In court documents filed Wednesday , federal prosecutors said the crew posed as police officers and used fake warrants to arrest drug traffickers . The crew then robbed those it arrested of their money and their stashes of marijuana , heroin , ecstasy and cocaine , authorities said . In all , the group -- comprising Tejada and at least 21 others -- is responsible for more than 100 armed robberies throughout New York City since 2001 , according to officials . The New York Police Department officer , arrested Wednesday , faces multiple counts of robbery , drug dealing and weapons charges . A U.S. magistrate on Thursday ordered Tejada to remain in custody . Prosecutors said they had `` overwhelming evidence '' and argued the man presented a continuing danger to the community . But the officer 's court-appointed attorney , Zachary Margulis-Ohnuma , said his client was not a flight risk and had remained on the force while on modified duty . `` If there was a danger , what 's been going on the last four years ? '' Margulis-Ohnuma asked , referring to the length of the investigation . Margulis-Ohnuma said that Tejada `` adamantly denies '' the charges and said they will be `` vehemently challenging them . '' It is unclear what made police begin to investigate Tejada , who started with the department in 1996 . In 2006 and 2007 , Tejada participated in three robberies , prosecutors say , stealing thousands of dollars while dressed in his police uniform . In one of the cases , the crew stormed a Bronx home searching for cocaine . `` The crew mistakenly believed the residents to be drug dealers , '' court documents said . `` In fact , the residents were a family of three , including a teenager , who had no involvement in drug dealing . '' The crew did not find drugs but searched the home while Tejada held the family at gunpoint , prosecutors allege . Once they left , the family called 911 . Tejada , a father of two , faces a minimum of 17 years in prison if convicted . His wife cried throughout the court proceedings Thursday and left without speaking to reporters . Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly said Thursday , `` Obviously it 's sad and disappointing any time a police officer is arrested , but this officer has been on modified duty for three years , so this investigation has taken a long time to come to fruition , and it 's still not over . ... the officer has been arrested , suspended , and we 'll see what the outcome of the trial is . '' N.Y. cop accused of hiring hit man to kill witness . CNN 's Dana Garrett reported from New York . Lateef Mungin reported and wrote from Atlanta . CNN 's Julie Cannold contributed to this report .
NEW : New York Police Officer Jose Tejada pleads not guilty to robbery , drug charges . He is accused of leading a crew that robbed drug dealers of money , inventory . Crew had committed more than 100 robberies since 2001 , officials say .