A Long Island cop was charged with sexual abuse Thursday for allegedly groping a woman's breast and thigh in front of her small children this summer, authorities said.
Hempstead Village police officer Louis Arcila was charged with official misconduct, sexual abuse and endangering the welfare of a child for allegedly fondling the woman outside of El Rancho Catracho in Hempstead in June. The 49-year-old cop from Roslyn Heights pleaded not guilty to the misdemeanor charges and was released on his own recognizance.
Defense lawyer William Petrollo said his client, a 16-year veteran of the Hempstead Police, a nine-year NYPD veteran and a father of five, is being exploited by a district attorney seeking election next week.
Arcila, who was off-duty but had his badge clipped to his waist, is accused of approaching the victim at the Hempstead restaurant and asked why her 3-year-old daughter was "dressed a certain way," acting Nassau County District Attorney Madeline Singas said in a news release.
After the woman picked up her food and placed the child in the back seat, Arcila allegedly followed her to her car, got inside the passenger seat and grabbed the victim's thigh and breast in front of her children, ages 3 and 10.
“The defendant allegedly followed a woman into a car and sexually assaulted her in front of her two children, while wearing his police shield in plain view,” Acting DA Singas said in a press release.
The groping ended when the victim's grown nephew returned to the car with his take-out food, authorities said. The victim's ten-year-old daughter allegedly told the officer to stop or else she would put him "in the hospital," authorities said.
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Hempstead Village Police Chief Michael Mcgowan said Arcila has been placed on modified administrative duty.
He said the department is conducting its own investigation into the incident, and he said that the department cooperated with the Singas' office's inquiriy.
Arcila faces up to a year in prison and a $1,000 fine. He is due back in court in November.
-- R. Darren Price contributed to this story.
