U.S. first lady Michelle Obama speaks to students while visiting the Savoy School May 24, 2013 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)

Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images

A Metropolitan Police Department officer who was accused last year of threatening Michelle Obama was cleared of that charge yesterday, but found guilty of making derogatory comments on social media about his job. Officer Christopher Picciano was also posted doctored images featuring President Obama and communist symbols, The Washington Post reports.

Picciano, a 17-year MPD veteran, received a 40-day suspension as punishment from a departmental review board. Picciano had been a member of MPD’s presidential escort unit, an elite group that he described on Facebook as the “zoo keeper of the MPD.” Even though Picciano’s hearing was open to the public, MPD will not be releasing the decision made by its three-member review panel, the Post reports:

Gwendolyn Crump, a D.C. police spokeswoman, declined to comment, saying the ruling is a personnel matter. The ruling by the three-member review panel, called a trial board, was not released, even though the proceedings were open to the public. [Attorney James W.] Pressler said Picciano faced two internal charges related to the alleged threat. He was found not guilty of both.

During Picciano’s hearing, another officer testified that during a conversation last July, officers discussed over breakfast the high threat level against the Michelle Obama. “Yeah, because I want to kill her,” Picciano allegedly said.

Picciano will serve out his suspension without pay. The Post reports his attorney plans to appeal the decision.