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Charges Dropped Against Cop Accused of Gunpoint Rape on Staten Island

By Nicholas Rizzi | November 19, 2012 9:09pm

STATEN ISLAND — Charges have been dropped against the off-duty NYPD cop who was arrested for allegedly raping his ex-girlfriend at knife- and gunpoint in a Midland Beach parking lot in July, officials said.

Last week, a grand jury declined to indict officer Arthur Roldan, 28, of Port Richmond, on rape charges, the Richmond County District Attorney's office said.

Roldan's lawyer, Matthew J. Santamauro, told the Staten Island Advance, which first reported the dropped charges, that the grand jury said Roldan committed no crimes. Santamauro declined to say whether Roldan had given testimony before the grand jury, the paper reported.

"The grand jury investigation confirmed what our investigation uncovered, which was that this wasn't a rape. In fact, no crimes were committed," Santamauro told the Advance.

Roldan — who is assigned to the 78th Precinct, which covers Park Slope and Gowanus — was accused of attacking his ex-girlfriend in a parking lot on Father Capodanno Boulevard and Lincoln Avenue in July.

Roldan was accused of holding a gun to his ex-girlfriend's face while he raped her, then of allegedly attacking her a second time holding a knife to her face, court documents said.

"Such an act would have been very much out of his character," Santamauro told the Advance. "He comes from a good family and is a good person."

During his arraignment in August, Roldan pleaded not guilty and was released on $20,000 bail. Roldan is still suspended from the NYPD and the case is still under internal investigation, police told the Advance.

The NYPD did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Monday.

Roldan was the 10th cop arrested this summer. Earlier this year, officer Michael Pena was found guilty of sexually assaulting a 25-year-old teacher at gunpoint in an Inwood alley.