Pignato Allegedly Admits to Having Sex After Police Call
(Greece, N.Y.) - A former police officer accused of accepting sexual favors as a bribe has admitted to investigators he did have sex with the woman. Despite that admission, Gary Pignato still denies the criminal charges. His statement to state police raises new questions. Gary Pignato was interviewed twice on September 11, two weeks after the alleged incident.Pignato states in documents obtained by the Democrat and Chronicle under the Freedom of Information Act, that they "drank a couple of beers, shot some pool, then had sex more than once"-- at his house.
The sexual encounter is at the center of the criminal charges which allege Pignato arranged for the sexual bribe while responding to a domestic call at the woman's home August 24.
The woman says she was coerced into sex; that Pignato threatened to report her for a violation of probation unless she agreed to meet him later that night. He says he went back to the police station, changed clothes and went to pick her up at the Mini Mart on McCall Road.
Pignato denies there was an agreement that she would be spared a police report and possible violation of probation arrest--however, an incident report was never filed that night. Pignato said the woman was flirting with him...and asked if he would meet her later that night. He said the sex was consensual. He claims he never knew the woman was on probation when he responded to the original police call at her home.
But he refused to sign a written statement or take a polygraph.
The recorded call was made two weeks after the incident. By that time the woman had already filed a complaint with Greece Police, who turned the case over to state police. The question is whether Pignato was aware he was under investigation, and whether this call reflects that.
Phone Call:
"You asked me what time I got done with work," Pignato says.
"I don't think so...you know better," woman says.
Pignato: "You're making it sound like I enticed you, or encouraged you or something, to do it.”
Woman: "Well you did."
Pignato: "Okay this conversation's over, bye."
Pignato is set to go to trial June 1. He is currently suspended from the Greece Police Department.
