NEW BRUNSWICK — On a hot July day in 2011, Sgt. Samuel Woody, a 12-year veteran of the Plainfield Police Department assigned to the patrol division, arrested a 27-year-old city woman on charges of theft and burglary.

After she was booked at police headquarters, she was released on a summons to appear in court.

As she left headquarters on East Fourth Street, Woody told the woman to follow him into a nearby Madison Avenue lot.

Once there, Woody, threatened the woman with a five-year prison term unless she took off some of her clothes. Woody, still in his police uniform, masturbated as she did so.

Unbeknown to Woody, the woman was surreptitiously taping the incident.

In December, a jury convicted Woody, 43, of second-degree official misconduct and fourth-degree criminal sexual assault. Today, a Superior Court judge in New Brunswick sentenced him to six years in prison.

Under the terms set by Judge Alberto Rivas, Woody will serve at least five years before he is eligible for parole.

REQUEST FOR MERCY

Rivas imposed the sentence despite pleas from Woody’s family, including his mother, Annie Woody, who asked for mercy and called her son’s conviction a miscarriage of justice.

"I’m proud of my son. I don’t believe he would coerce anyone or force anyone to do anything," Annie Woody said.

Rivas suggested Annie Woody was blaming the victim for what happened, which the mother denied.

Defense attorney Marcia Munoz of the Public Defender’s Office said Woody maintained the encounter was consensual. He requested a new trial, claiming Woody’s original lawyer was ineffective, failed to fully investigate the case and to communicate with the former officer.

Rivas denied the request.

Union County Assistant Prosecutor James Tansey, who prosecuted the case, said Woody admitted during the trial that he did not have probable cause to arrest the woman and repeatedly called Woody’s version of the events "ludicrous."

"He committed this act only because of his position as a police officer. He was able to prey upon the victim because of his position," Tansey said.

Theft and burglary charges against the woman were eventually dismissed after a court hearing determined there was no probable cause.

Tansey said 37 internal affairs complaints were filed against Woody during his police career, and that 18 were upheld, including four for lack of truthfulness.

The case was transferred to Middlesex County because one witness, a municipal court judge, later became a Superior Court judge in Union County, creating a conflict.

NO REACTION

At his sentencing today, Woody, his hands shackled and wearing jail-issued sweatshirt and pants, showed no reaction as the judge ordered the six-year sentence for the second-degree charge of official misconduct and a concurrent 18-month sentence for the fourth-degree charge of criminal sexual contact.

Since his conviction, Woody has been held in the Union County jail in a protective custody unit, away from the general population because of his police background, lawyers said.

RELATED COVERAGE

• Former Plainfield police sergeant found guilty of official misconduct, criminal sexual contact

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