Post by WaTcHeR on May 20, 2006 11:24:41 GMT -5
05/20/2006 - A New York City police officer who was charged in March with raping his teenage stepdaughter in the Bronx has been arrested again, this time on charges of endangering her younger sister, officials and the officer's lawyer said yesterday.
The officer, 38, who is not being named to protect the alleged victims, was suspended without pay and stripped of his gun and badge after Internal Affairs Bureau investigators first arrested him on March 30, the police said.
He remained suspended after an investigation led to his being arrested a second time on Thursday night, the police said.
In the first case, the teenager told the authorities that the officer began abusing her in February 2004, when she was 15, according to a criminal complaint released by the Bronx district attorney's office.
The abuse continued on "numerous occasions" through last July, when she was 17, at an address on Olinville Avenue, the complaint said.
The girl told the authorities that she had told the officer to stop during one attack, but she said he did not, the complaint said. During another attack, she said he pinned her when she tried to escape, the complaint said.
About the same time period, between June 2004 and April 2005, the officer routinely kissed the 12-year-old sister of the teenager inappropriately, according to a separate complaint that outlines the younger girl's allegations.
The younger sibling told the authorities that the officer had said, "I love you, I want to marry you, I want you to have my baby," the complaint said. In that case, the authorities said, the episodes took place in front of a Cambreleng Avenue address. The officer, who joined the Police Department in July 2001 and is assigned to Transit District 12 in the Bronx, was charged in the first case with several counts of rape, sexual misconduct and endangering the welfare of a child. He was charged in the second case with endangering the welfare of a child, officials said.
According to the officer's lawyer, Larry J. Sheehan, he pleaded not guilty at arraignments in both cases. He said his client expected to be freed on bail. Officials said he was due back in court next week.
"He manifests his innocence," Mr. Sheehan said, adding that the officer had never been in trouble with the law before. "He is looking forward to his day in court, and we will take it from there."
Mr. Sheehan said that the two stepdaughters came forward after the officer and their mother separated. He did not say how soon after the breakup the charges were lodged.
"This is a 'He said, she said,' " Mr. Sheehan said. "There is no DNA or anything. It is going to be who the jury believes, who is more credible. There are a thousand and one reasons why someone would make something up. I cannot even get into that yet."
Details of the first case came to light yesterday after the police announced that the officer had been arrested for a second time. The police said an investigation was continuing.
Mr. Sheehan said the older sister, who is now 18, and her younger sibling, who is now 14, were living with an aunt "somewhere down South."
The officer, 38, who is not being named to protect the alleged victims, was suspended without pay and stripped of his gun and badge after Internal Affairs Bureau investigators first arrested him on March 30, the police said.
He remained suspended after an investigation led to his being arrested a second time on Thursday night, the police said.
In the first case, the teenager told the authorities that the officer began abusing her in February 2004, when she was 15, according to a criminal complaint released by the Bronx district attorney's office.
The abuse continued on "numerous occasions" through last July, when she was 17, at an address on Olinville Avenue, the complaint said.
The girl told the authorities that she had told the officer to stop during one attack, but she said he did not, the complaint said. During another attack, she said he pinned her when she tried to escape, the complaint said.
About the same time period, between June 2004 and April 2005, the officer routinely kissed the 12-year-old sister of the teenager inappropriately, according to a separate complaint that outlines the younger girl's allegations.
The younger sibling told the authorities that the officer had said, "I love you, I want to marry you, I want you to have my baby," the complaint said. In that case, the authorities said, the episodes took place in front of a Cambreleng Avenue address. The officer, who joined the Police Department in July 2001 and is assigned to Transit District 12 in the Bronx, was charged in the first case with several counts of rape, sexual misconduct and endangering the welfare of a child. He was charged in the second case with endangering the welfare of a child, officials said.
According to the officer's lawyer, Larry J. Sheehan, he pleaded not guilty at arraignments in both cases. He said his client expected to be freed on bail. Officials said he was due back in court next week.
"He manifests his innocence," Mr. Sheehan said, adding that the officer had never been in trouble with the law before. "He is looking forward to his day in court, and we will take it from there."
Mr. Sheehan said that the two stepdaughters came forward after the officer and their mother separated. He did not say how soon after the breakup the charges were lodged.
"This is a 'He said, she said,' " Mr. Sheehan said. "There is no DNA or anything. It is going to be who the jury believes, who is more credible. There are a thousand and one reasons why someone would make something up. I cannot even get into that yet."
Details of the first case came to light yesterday after the police announced that the officer had been arrested for a second time. The police said an investigation was continuing.
Mr. Sheehan said the older sister, who is now 18, and her younger sibling, who is now 14, were living with an aunt "somewhere down South."