FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Eric Sanders, Esq., of The Sanders Firm, P.C., announces the filing of a Notice of Claim and Charge of Discrimination against the City of New York, Lieutenant Filastin Srour, Sergeant Wilson Ramos, Police Officers Ryan Marrero, Jimmy Gutierres and Michael Ganz, and FDNY EMT Evan Santana
New York, July 15, 2019 – Former Police Officer Maria Mendez alleges that she was assigned to the 32nd Precinct. According to the claim, Mendez alleges that from Early 2006 through January 28, 2019, while on and off-duty in and around the confines of the 32nd Precinct and other parts of the City of New York, she endured endless sexually offensive comments, physical and sexual assaults from colleagues and supervisors including a FDNY EMT.
Mendez claims that from June 1, 2014 through January 28, 2019, while on and off-duty in and around the confines of the 32nd Precinct and other parts of the City of New York, upon return from maternity leave recovering from a cesarean section delivery, Police Officers Ryan Marrero, Jimmy Gutierres and Michael Ganz and FDNY EMT Evan Santana plied her with alcohol, stolen opioids (Oxycodone, Percocet) and MDMA aka Molly which they sold to her, then under physical and psychological threat, force her to perform deviant sexual acts including anal, oral and vaginal sex inside of department facilities, vehicles and other locations.
According to the claim, Mendez alleges that throughout the aforesaid time period, Police Officers Ryan Marrero, Jimmy Gutierres and Michael Ganz and FDNY EMT Evan Santana’s actions caused her to sustain numerous serious physical injuries including bruises, concussions, physical deformities to her vagina and anus and emotional distress.
Mendez claims that from Early 2006 through January 28, 2019, she reported the endless sexually offensive comments, physical and sexual assaults to several supervisors including Lieutenant Filastin Srour and Sergeant Wilson Ramos but, each failed to take appropriate action consistent with department policy.
Finally, on January 18, Mendez started taking back her life. After meeting at a Queens hotel, her former partner beat her and choked her until she was unconscious, Mendez said. When he left the hotel room, she broke down crying and called her husband.
Mendez resigned from the department the next day, asking a relative who is a state trooper to go with her to the 32nd Precinct to retrieve her personal property.
“Police officers are people just like everybody else,” Sanders said. “There is no way to predict how she could have responded, as with all victims of abuse. Whether you are a police officer or not, you can become a victim of an abuser and not see it happening until it’s too late, says Eric Sanders.
ABOUT THE SANDERS FIRM, P.C.
The Sanders Firm, P.C. offers those in the New York City area legal services related and connected to civil rights, civil service rights, criminal law and discrimination. We firmly believe in everyone’s individual rights that are described and guaranteed by the Constitution of the United States of America. We understand that our freedoms and liberties are sacrosanct and that they have been won in many and various hard-fought battles. We are committed in every way to protecting your civil rights. We are your voice for justice!
CONTACT
Eric Sanders, Esq.
President and Owner, The Sanders Firm, P.C.
Business Phone: 212-652-2782
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