Police Officer Is Charged With Sexually Abusing Stepdaughter
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A 15-year veteran of the New York Police Department has been charged with sexually assaulting his teenage stepdaughter at his home in Staten Island, according to legal papers released yesterday.
Angel Negron, 38, was charged with rape in the first degree, sexual conduct against a child in the first degree, and two counts each of sexual abuse in the first degree and performing a criminal sexual act, the complaint says. Prosecutors pushed for bail to be set at $100,000, but he was released on his own recognizance at the arraignment on Saturday, a spokesman for the Bronx district attorney’s office, William Smith, said. If convicted on the highest charge, Mr. Negron faces up to 25 years in prison, Mr. Smith said.
Mr. Negron is a police officer at the 19th Precinct, which comprises Manhattan’s East Side. The suspect’s lawyer, Michael Heller, described Mr. Negron as a “decorated police officer, four times,” and the recipient of six police awards.
“Some are hanging on the wall and displayed at the 19th Precinct,” Mr. Heller said.
The complaint says Mr. Negron began abusing his stepdaughter starting when she was 8 and stopped when she was 10. The police became aware of the accusation after she confided to a friend of the family what had happened, Mr. Smith said. An officer from the police department’s Internal Affairs Bureau made the arrest in Staten Island, the complaint says.
Mr. Heller said the mother of the child and Mr. Negron’s wife were standing by the defendant. Mr. Heller said the daughter made false claims after she had her cellular telephone taken away by Mr. Negron for disciplinary reasons.
“In retaliation she determined that she would manipulate the police department, the district attorney’s office, and the judicial system by making false allegations against her stepfather in order to get him out of the house,” Mr. Heller said. The girl had disciplinary problems, including running away from home four times, truancy at school, and failing courses, he said.
At the hearing, about 50 police officers showed up to support Mr. Negron, Mr. Heller said. Police officials said Mr. Negron has been suspended from the police department pending the results of an internal investigation.
Mr. Negron is due back in court on November 14.
