New York

NYPD Officer, NY Trooper Charged With Sex Assault of Drunk Woman at AC Casino

Two police officers from New York have been charged with sexually assaulting a woman in an Atlantic City casino six months ago.

Lawyers for both men say the men are innocent.

Andrei Torres, a seven-year veteran of the New York Police Department and Devon Thomas, a three-year veteran of the New York state police, were charged Tuesday with aggravated sexual assault and sexual assault by force without injury.

A criminal complaint obtained by NBC New York alleges that Torres pushed the drunk woman onto a hotel bed before sexually assaulting her.

Atlantic City Police Sgt. Monica McMenamin says Andrei Torres was arraigned in Queens County Criminal Court on Wednesday, and Devon Thomas was arraigned in West Chester County, New York. Both waived extradition hearings and were expected to be taken to New Jersey later in the day. They turned themselves in to their department's internal affairs bureaus Tuesday.

Authorities have not detailed the allegations, and Jay McKeen, a spokesman for the Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office, said he would not say anything about the case other than that charges had been filed.

The alleged assault was at the Trump Taj Mahal on April 24 against a woman also from New York state.

"Mr. Thomas is 100 percent innocent," said Thomas' lawyer, Joseph Levine. "He does not engage in any criminal wrongdoing, especially nothing of a sexual nature."

Torres' lawyer, John Zarych said the evidence would prove his client innocent. "This is a mistake, a mistake we will correct as soon as possible," Zarych said. "He's an excellent officer with the NYPD and is just simply innocent of these charges."

Their lawyers said both men served in the U.S. military in Iraq and that Thomas also served in Afghanistan.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
Contact Us