Bronx minister and NYPD Officer Vladimir Sosa is facing pretty serious charges following accusations that he engaged in a sexual relationship with a 16-year-old girl, the New York Daily News reports.
Sosa, 38, was arraigned on Tuesday in Bronx Criminal Court and charged with third-degree rape, sexual misconduct and child endangerment. He is a minister at Iglesia Metodista Libre El Remanente in the Bronx, where he met the teen.
The alleged relationship was discovered by the girl’s mother who came across some inappropriate text messages exchanged between Sosa and her daughter. After being confronted about the texts, the teen confessed to the relationship to her mother who contacted police. It’s believed that their sexual relationship lasted for at least seven months last year. Law enforcement sources allege that he had consensual sex with the teen at least three times in his apartment.
“He abused his two positions of authority, both public and vestal,” Bronx Assistant District Attorney Joelle Morabito said.
Sosa, however, is denying the allegations.
“There has never been a situation where they have been alone in the same room together,” said the cop’s attorney Cary London.
Sosa’s colleague at Iglesia Metodista Libre El Remanente, Fernando Gonzalez, also believes that the troubled cop is innocent.
“It’s not true,” Gonzalez said, before sharing that he has always trusted Sosa with his daughters. “It’s being made up.”
“Vladimir might have been trying to help the female in question with her spiritual life,” he said. “It might have happened that because of her young age, she confused the situation.”
A family friend of the victim who also knows Sosa, however, says that the teen was taken advantage of by Sosa and that her life has been ruined.
“She’s doing very bad … she used to be a top student, a virgin, a girl that was in love with God and this man seduced her,” the woman said. “She is crying, very depressed … I can say that he destroyed her life.”
Sosa was released on his own recognizance. He is scheduled to appear back in court next month.
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