NEW YORK – A captain with the New York Police Department who is accused in a lawsuit of raping a subordinate “nearly every game day” for a year at Yankee Stadium has been terminated, the New York Post reported.
Capt. Jeffrey Brienza, 49, pleaded guilty to six administrative charges, including discrimination, fraternization, violation of patrol rules and unauthorized searches through department databases. As a result, he was fired in October, according to internal NYPD documents obtained by The Post.
In a December 2021 lawsuit, Brienza was accused of repeatedly raping a since-retired police officer while the two were assigned to the Yankee Stadium detail.
Gillian Roberts worked as a subordinate to Brienza at the 44th Precinct. According to the civil action filed with the Bronx Supreme Court, he made her feel “she was no longer there to perform the duties of a police officer, but to provide unconsented sex to the Captain.”
Former Capt. Jeffrey Brienza is accused of repeatedly raping a since-retired colleague. (Twitter / @NYPD44Pct)
Brienza reportedly became “possessive” of Roberts and altered her schedule to make sure he would have more time with her, the lawsuit says. He is accused of raping her “nearly every game day” and “most non-game days when they were on duty at the same time when he would arrange for them to be alone,” the filing alleges.
Roberts reported her claims against Brienza to the Internal Affairs Bureau, which launched an investigation. Two months later she took an early retirement.
According to department documents reviewed by The Post this week, Brienza was fired Oct. 21, 2022.
NYPD only publicizes the outcome of internal cases if they make it to trial. Brienza’s did not, as it appears he cut a plea deal with the department, according to the news outlet.
Although police did not say whether the administrative charges Brienza pleaded to, along with his termination, were connected to the rape accusations, Roberts’ attorney Fred Lichtmacher told The Post, “I cannot imagine that it was not connected to my client’s case.”
“It’s really nice to see the NYPD is doing the right thing when they find one of their own isn’t doing the right thing,” Lichtmacher said, adding, “It’s very hard for the NYPD to go after white shirts.”
The Post was unable to reach Brienza for a comment.
