Commack man takes stand in civil trial claiming he was strip-searched by Suffolk police

A 44-year-old Commack man took the stand Thursday in a civil trial at the federal courthouse in Central Islip. Brian Garcia claims he was illegally strip-searched by Suffolk County police on the side of the Sunken Meadow Parkway. Garcia says officers did not explain why he was being searched.

The incident happened in May 2016 . Garcia is suing the Suffolk Police Department and several of its officers.

On the witness stand, he said he felt terrified and violated, and said he had no control. He also said he felt profiled because of his race.

Garcia claims an officer spotted tattoos on his fingers and said, "MS chico," an apparent reference to the MS-13 gang.

The Suffolk County Police Department has not commented due to pending litigation. In a deposition from a detective on scene, it was revealed that the traffic stop was part of a narcotics investigation. The detective said he found no contraband on Garcia.