An off-duty NYPD officer was arrested and charged with sexual abuse on Wednesday after being accused of groping a woman in a Brooklyn lounge, cops said.
Jerry Arce, 31, allegedly touched the breast and genitals of the victim without consent at PiCH, a Caribbean restaurant and lounge on Flatbush Ave. near Clarkson Ave. in Flatbush around 7 p.m. on May 25, according to the criminal complaint against Arce.
The victim, who was sitting to Arce’s left inside the lounge, told an NYPD Special Victims Unit detective that Arce placed his hand on her breast without her consent and then put his hand between her thighs and touched her genitals, also without consent, the complaint states. When the victim looked at him, he quickly withdrew his arm, according to the complaint.
Arce was charged with sexual abuse, forcible touching and harassment in Brooklyn Criminal Court and released.
He is assigned to New York City Housing Authority developments in Coney Island, Brighton Beach and Red Hook in Brooklyn, and has been a police officer since 2017.
His next court date is Dec. 10.