A longtime New York City politician pled not guilty in state court Wednesday to taking more than $150,000 worth of bribes while serving as a city councilmember, senior adviser to Mayor Eric Adams and commissioner of the Department of Buildings.

Eric Ulrich, a 38-year-old Republican, is charged across five separate indictments with three counts of conspiracy, eight counts of receiving bribes, and five counts of offering false instruments. Also indicted are real estate developer Mark Caller, former Buildings Department filing representative Paul Grego, retired correctional officer Victor Truta, towing company owner Michael Mazzio, and brothers Joseph and Anthony Livreri.

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With the exception of Mazzio, who was home sick with a possible case of COVID-19, all the defendants surrendered Wednesday morning and pled not guilty during afternoon arraignments before New York Supreme Court Justice Daniel Conviser. They were released without bail but ordered to surrender their passports, a condition challenged by Ulrich's lawyer.

"We've met with the DA's office for more than a year," said Sam Braverman of Anderson Kill PC. "The indictment is nothing new, and yet Mr. Ulrich has never fled."

"All your points are very well taken," responded Justice Conviser. "But on the other hand, Mr. Ulrich is facing some very serious charges across five indictments, and the conditions that the prosecutor is asking for are not onerous."

The judge set a follow-up court appearance for Oct. 23 to discuss motion practice and discovery, which according to Braverman will include "thousands" of wiretapped phone calls.

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