(Greece, N.Y.) - On Wednesday, Judge Alex Renzi sentenced former Greece Police officer Gary Pignato to two to six years in state prison, slightly less than the maximum he could have received.
While on duty last August in the suburb of Greece, the 48-year-old met a woman during a domestic disturbance call. Her boyfriend had called police to remove her from his home because she was drunk.Pignato maintained she flirted with him and had consensual sex with him later at his home. But, she testified they had sex after he promised not to report her for drinking in violation of the conditions of her probation for a larceny conviction.
Pignato was convicted last month of coercing a woman into sex, accepting sex as a bribe, and official misconduct.Pignato spoke out in court on Wednesday and asked for leniency for the sake of his 11- and 14-year-old daughters. He broke down in tears talking about a phone conversation from jail that he had with his 14-year-old."It tears my heart out not being able to hug her, hold her, and tell her everything's going to be alright," he said. "The one regret I have is that I told my daughter innocence would prevail."
Pignato also said "I literally placed my life on the line" as an officer and that it's "degrading and demoralizing to be in jail."
Renzi also said Pignato is a danger to society and likely could not be rehabilitated.
Yet Pignato says he's innocent, instead of seeing himself as a central part of the scandal involving the Greece Police Department. He told pre-sentence investigators his sentence is a backlash of public opinion.
Defense Attorney Scott Green said, "There wasn't a juror who didn't hear something about this case. I don't know [if that made a difference] because I didn't get into the mind of the jurors or the judge."
Prosecutor Bill Gargan said, “He, as the judge said, is incapable of taking responsibility for what he did; he had no empathy, and that's consistent with seeking to point a finger elsewhere."
Pignato still faces charges based on allegations from a second woman.
Monroe County District Attorney Mike Green said the potential criminal case is growing to include new allegations. A grand jury may not hear evidence until this fall.
"We feel obligated as more allegations and more evidence come to our attention," the DA said. "We can't turn a blind eye to it, we have to investigate."
The Greece Police Chief and Deputy Chief are currently suspended without pay. Town board members want them fired.
Prosecutors say Pignato knew the victim was vulnerable because he had responded to a suicide attempt at her house some time before the sexual encounter.Renzi told Pignato in court, "Wearing a badge is an honor... a symbol of trust. You decided to use your badge as a hunting license and the prey was a vulnerable (victim)."
