Friday, June 6, 2008

New Haven, CT oficer arrested on sex abuse and unlawful restraint charges

A 13 year veteran on the New Haven Police department has been arrested and charged with two counts each of 4th degree sexual abuse and 2nd degree unlawful restraint for an incident which occured at a New Haven business on April 19. Two college women, 20 and 21, were at a bar in which Maio was providing security.

Around closing time, Maio invited the women upstairs, where he took them to an employee bathroom and locked the door, according to the affidavit.

Maio kissed the women repeatedly and put his hand up the skirt of one woman and tried to touch the other woman on her chest, the affidavit says. The women said the officer locked the door twice and one of them said he held them back from leaving.

Officer Anthony Maio, 40, turned himself into his own police department after the warrants were signed, and is currently on paid administrative leave.

New Haven Police Chief Stephanie Redding said the following:

"We take these incidents very seriously as this type of behavior from an officer is unacceptable. Our residents count on us to be role models, to serve them and to provide them with effective community policing. We have a strong internal affairs team that works hard to make sure that we meet or exceed the expectations of our residents."

"This is a police veteran with an exemplary record," Tim Pothin, Maio's attorney, said Friday. "There has never been any hint of any impropriety on his part. He adamantly denies these essentially uncorroborated allegations."

Maio was released on $5000 bond and is due back in court June 18.

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