December 24, 2025 QUEENS, NY — A veteran NYPD Sergeant is facing a career-ending crisis today after being hauled into court for a violent daylight assault that allegedly left his girlfriend breathless and battered on a Queens sidewalk.
Sgt. Tahino Sotomayor, a 48-year-old officer responsible for patrolling Manhattan’s public housing developments, now finds himself on the wrong side of the law. Prosecutors have unveiled a chilling timeline of what they say happened last Saturday afternoon on Vietor Avenue.
A Broad Daylight Assault
According to the criminal complaint, the scene unfolded between 2:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. What started as a verbal argument quickly spiraled into a physical nightmare. Authorities allege that Sotomayor didn’t just lose his temper—he turned his training into a weapon.
The sergeant is accused of:
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Punching the woman squarely in the chest.
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Pinching her arm with enough force to cause injury.
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Strangling her, a felony charge that carries severe legal consequences.
The Fallout: Arrest and Suspension
The NYPD moved quickly following the allegations. Sotomayor was taken into custody on Sunday and spent his Monday morning standing before a judge.
Despite the gravity of the charges—which include Strangulation, Assault, and Harassment—the sergeant pleaded not guilty and was released without bail. However, his life as a "man in blue" has been put on ice; the NYPD confirmed that Sotomayor, who was assigned to Police Service Area 4, has been suspended without pay.
