Suffolk County Cop Accused Of Sexually Assaulting Woman Inside Police Station

WYANDANCH, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- A Suffolk County police officer is accused of sexually assaulting a woman inside his precinct while his partner allegedly looked the other way.

The patrol officer assigned to the 1st Precinct has been suspended without pay as a criminal investigation is launched by Internal Affairs and the FBI, the police commissioner told CBS2's Jennifer McLogan.

The alleged sexual assault on the woman, who is African-American, by the cop, who is white, began on Straight Path in Wyandanch, not far from the hamlet's library.

"This is a routine traffic stop in the morning, and it results, before noon, in a vicious assault in the precinct," said Brian Egan, a lawyer for the alleged victim.

"It happened twice inside the precinct while she was alone with this officer," he added.

The accused is identified in federal court papers and by his superiors as Christopher A. McCoy, a husband and father.

McCoy and his partner allegedly asked the vehicle's occpants for IDs. The female passenger in her 30s was told she had an outstanding traffic violation and was taken by patrol car to the precinct, where she says her chest was groped before she was threatened to go further. Once in the interrogation room, the woman alleges, McCoy rubbed up against her and then forced her to perform oral sex.

A civil lawsuit claims McCoy's partner knew what was going on and did nothing to stop it.

In Wyandanch, neighbors say things had been getting better between black civilians and white officers.

"Every officer is not like that," said resident Lamell Dickins. "However, the ones that are, you have to air them out."

"If you have an officer that's trying to do fresh things to us, how do we feel? We feel degraded," said Sandreen Bradley, of Wyandanch.

According to the federal lawsuit, the woman asked police for a ride to the hospital for a rape kit to be taken, but was denied. Once released, she went directly to the FBI.

According to court documents, in the days following the alleged assault, the police officer began sending the woman text messages.

CBS2 asked but received no comment yet from the Suffolk County Police Benevolent Association or from an attorney for McCoy.

The victim's attorneys say this is a textbook case of abuse of power. She is seeking $40 million in damages and legal fees.