A Hempstead Village police officer who lives in Roslyn Heights was indicted Wednesday for allegedly sexually abusing a woman in front of her children outside a Hempstead restaurant on June 28, police said.
Louis Arcila, 49, a, was arraigned on one count of official misconduct, one count of endangering the welfare of a child and one count of third degree sexual abuse, according to police.
“[Arcila] allegedly followed a woman into a car and sexually assaulted her in front of her two children, while wearing his police shield in plain view,” Acting District Attorney Madeline Singas said. “The brave and honest men and women of our police forces do an outstanding job keeping our communities safe, but when a member of the force tarnishes the badge by sexually assaulting an innocent woman, we will prosecute them without fear or favor.”
Singas said that on June 28 at approximately 10:30 p.m., Arcila, who was off-duty and had his police shield clipped to his waist, was in El Rancho Catracho, a Hempstead restaurant, when the woman entered the restaurant.
The woman, Singas said, was carrying her three-year-old daughter and was accompanied by her adult nephew when she was picking up food that she ordered.
The woman’s 10-year old daughter remained in the car outside the restaurant, Singas said.
Arcila approached the woman and her family, with his shield in plain view, and began questioning the woman why her child was dressed a certain way, Singas said.
The woman picked up her food and exited the restaurant and placed her three-year old in the backseat of the car, while her nephew remained inside for his food to be prepared, police said.
Arcila followed the woman to her car and continued to speak to her through the passenger side window of the car, according to police.
During the conversation, police said, Arcila opened the passenger door of the woman’s car, sat down in the car, leaned over, and grabbed at the woman’s right breast.
As the woman knocked the defendant’s hand away, he moved his hand to the victim’s inner thigh, police said. Arcila then moved his hand back up to the woman’s breast a second time.
The attack ended, police said, when the woman’s nephew returned to the car and found Arcila groping at her.
The victim’s 10-year-old daughter witnessed the attack and threatened to put the defendant “in the hospital” if he continued to touch the victim, according to police.
If convicted on the top charge, Arcila faces up to a year in jail and a $1,000 fine, police said.
Arcila is due back in court Nov. 13.
