FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, August 21, 2017
Court Officer Charged with Official Misconduct for
Coercing Woman to Perform Sexual Act in Court Stairwell
Victim was Waiting to Bail out Boyfriend when Defendant Implied he Could Help
Acting Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez announced today that a Brooklyn court officer has been indicted for official misconduct and other charges for allegedly coercing a woman who was waiting in Criminal Court to perform a sex act on him in a public stairwell. The victim believed that the defendant would help her boyfriend’s case if she complied, and that his case would be adversely impacted if she didn’t.
Acting District Attorney Gonzalez said, “What this defendant – a public servant – allegedly did was a disgrace to his fellow court officers who day in and day out serve the public with respect and work hard to keep our courthouses safe. He allegedly abused his authority to exploit a young woman who needed assistance in order to gratify himself. Such conduct will not be tolerated and we will now seek to hold him accountable for this despicable act.”
The Acting District Attorney identified the defendant as Sergeant Timothy Nolan, 58, of Lake Grove, NY. He was arraigned today before Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Danny Chun on an indictment in which he is charged with official misconduct, second-degree coercion, public lewdness and exposure of a person. He was released without bail and ordered to return to court on October 4, 2017. The defendant faces up to a year in jail if convicted of the top count.
The Acting District Attorney said that, according to the investigation, on October 21, 2016, the victim – who was 25-years-old at the time – was in Brooklyn Criminal Court at 120 Schermerhorn Street to bail out her boyfriend. While sitting in the hallway, she was approached by the defendant, who was on duty and in uniform.
The defendant told her to take a walk with him and led her to a public stairwell. He allegedly told her “I got you” and “I will take care of you,” then exposed himself and asked for a sexual act, the investigation found. It is alleged that the victim took the statements to mean that the defendant would help with bailing out her boyfriend if she complied, but would adversely impact his case if she didn’t.
The defendant allegedly grabbed the victim by the hair, fondled and attempted to kiss her as she performed a sex act on him.
The case is being prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney William Neri of the District Attorney’s Blue Zone Trial Bureau, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Robert Walsh, Bureau Chief.
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An indictment is an accusatory instrument and not proof of a defendant’s guilt