An off-duty police officer was arrested in Manhattan this weekend on rape charges for allegedly choking and sexually assaulting his wife, according to sources and court documents.
Samuel Sierra, a 35-year-old cop who oversees Auxiliary officers —volunteer members of the NYPD — was cuffed in Harlem on Friday for allegedly raping his wife inside of a Park Avenue apartment within the confines of the 23rd Precinct.
The victim told police that Sierra allegedly held her arms above her head inside of the home at around 5 a.m. on Dec. 27 and pinned her down as he raped her.
Court documents also show that later that same afternoon, he allegedly punched her in the face several times then began choking her with his hands; she suffered difficulty breathing and pain to her neck.
According to the criminal complaint, Sierra also allegedly scratched the victim repeatedly, leaving marks across her legs, chest, and arms.
Sierra was arrested that evening at around 7:20 p.m. and hit with a slew of charges, including first-degree rape, second-degree strangulation and third-degree assault.
At his arraignment hearing Saturday in Manhattan Criminal Court, Sierra was ordered held on $50,000 cash bail or $150,000 bond. An order of protection was also issued, barring him from contacting his wife.
According to the 50-a.org website, Sierra spent several years working out of the 77th Precinct in Brooklyn since 2018 before being transferred to his Auxiliary post in late 2023. The disciplinary page also shows that Sierra “abused his authority” while making a traffic stop in February 2023. Sierra was made to undergo retraining.
Following the rape allegations, Sierra has been suspended without pay, according to the NYPD.
