Nassau Cop Resigns, Pleads Guilty To Forcing Woman To Grope Him During Traffic Stop
MINEOLA, NY (CBSNewYork) - A Nassau County police officer has resigned after pleading guilty to official misconduct for forcing a woman to grope him during a traffic stop, Nassau County District Attorney Kathleen Rice announced Wednesday.
According to Rice, 34-year-old Garrett Mannerz stopped a car in East Meadow on Feb. 27 and performed field sobriety tests on the driver.
He then asked one of the passengers (all of whom were women in their early 20s) to get out of the car, commented on her attire, and asked for her phone number.
Mannerz then told the woman to walk over to his patrol car where he told her that if she "did something for him," then he would let the driver leave without receiving a summons or being charged criminally.
Rice said Mannerz then grabbed the woman's wrist and forced her to touch his penis through his clothing. He also arranged to call her to set up a "date."
Mannerz let the three women drive away.
Within two hours, Mannerz began a series of sexually suggestive telephone calls to the passenger he had grabbed.
He was arrested on June 15 after the victim recorded one of the phone calls and brought it to police.
Mannerz was sentenced to 80 hours of community service and orders of protection were granted prohibiting Mannerz from contacting the three women who were in the car.
Mannerz had been a Nassau County police officer since November 2005. He is not eligible for a pension.
"Garrett Mannerz abused his authority by taking advantage of a woman while on duty, and his conduct was a disgrace to the Nassau County Police Department" said Rice. "Nassau County is a safer place with Garrett Mannerz off the police force."
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