Summary: Two New York Police Department detectives are accused of raping an 18-year-old girl they had placed under arrest for marijuana possession.
An 18-year-old girl claims two New York Police Department detectives raped her in the back of a police van while she was handcuffed. Brooklyn prosecutors say the self-proclaimed “freaks” arrested the girl for marijuana possession but offered to let her go in exchange for sexual favors.
Detectives Eddie Martins, 37, and Richard Hall, 32, were arraigned on a 50-count indictment with charges of official misconduct, first-degree criminal sexual act, first-degree rape, second-degree kidnapping and more. They have pleaded not guilty. If convicted, they face up to 25 years in prison each.
The alleged attack was detailed in explicit details in the papers released by acting Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez. They have been demoted and placed on desk duty without guns until the case is resolved. They question the credibility of the alleged victim.
The alleged attack happened on September 15. Martins and Hall, who is married with two children, were part of a plainclothes group of detectives from Brooklyn South Narcotics holding a “buy and bust” operation near Coney Island. The court documents reveal that Martins and Hall left their ordered position “without authorization” at about 7:30 pm. They were in an unmarked Dodge Minivan which they drove to Calvert Vaux Park in Gravesend.
It was at that park that they pulled over an Infinite Coupe that was being driven by the victim. She had two male friends in the car with her. She eventually admitted to having marijuana in the car and two anti-anxiety Klonopin pills. The detectives placed her under arrest, telling her friends they could pick her up at the 60th Precinct station in about three hours. They also directed the friends to not follow their van.
In the papers, Martins said to the teen, “We’re freaks, what do you want to get out of this arrest?” while she was handcuffed in the unmarked police van. Martins forced her to perform oral sex and then raped her while Hall drove the van, watching through the rear-view mirror. Hall then parked the car in the Bay Ridge area to switch places with Martins. Hall forced the girl to perform oral sex on him.
Assistant District Attorney Frank DeGaetano said, “They told her she better keep her mouth shut” before giving her back her Klonopin pills and telling to call her friends to get a ride. Video surveillance shows her getting out of the van around 8:42 pm.
The girl told a friend about what had happened so they took her to Maimonides Medical Center, where they were able to collect DNA. That DNA has been used to match the detectives. Gonzalez said, “It is incomprehensible that two veteran NYPD detectives would allegedly commit such an outrageous act. They took an oath to protect and serve, but allegedly violated that oath by raping a young woman who was in their custody.”
Gonzalez added, “We will now seek to hold them accountable for this flagrant betrayal of public trust.”
Martins is held on $250,000 and Hall on $150,000 bail. Their attorneys are trying to attack the allegations, noting that they were charged with a “vicious act” while also “taking sexual favors.” Hall’s attorney John Arlia added, “These charges are a schizophrenic account. Nothing indicating forcible rape, no bruising on the wrist. There’s a lack of credibility of the alleged victim.” Martins’ attorney added that they will be “vigorously contest” the charges.
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