Two officers charged with rape

Philadelphia Inquirer, The (PA)

Arrest warrants were issued yesterday for two Philadelphia police officers accused of raping a 25-year-old exotic dancer while they were on duty in their patrol car last month.

Officer James Fallon Jr., a six-year police veteran, is to turn himself in Tuesday morning to Internal Affairs, his lawyer, Fortunato Perri Jr., said.The other officer, Timothy Carre, who has been on the force for seven years, said last night he also had made arrangements to surrender.

“I can't get into it,” he said, citing the advice of his attorney.

Fallon, who could not be reached last night, said previously that he was innocent.

Both men face charges of rape, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, robbery, conspiracy, simple assault, and official oppression, authorities said.

The District Attorney's Office approved the warrants yesterday, Perri said.

“The district attorney has no comment,” said Cathie Abookire, spokeswoman for District Attorney Lynne M. Abraham.

Said Perri: “My client's position is [that] he wasn't involved in any criminal activity.”

When asked whether Fallon had met the woman on the day in question, Perri replied: “Let's just say there was no criminal activity. He's looking forward to the opportunity to defend himself.”

Fallon is married with three children and was a Marine during Operation Desert Storm, Perri said.

Both officers, who were assigned to the 15th Police District, had been removed from street duty and placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the police investigation.

The woman, a dancer at Daydreams, a club in Northeast Philadelphia, told police that she was assaulted on Dec. 11.

About 3:15 a.m., she said, she was in a car with two men at a convenience store in the 6400 block of Frankford Avenue in the city's Mayfair section when the two officers approached. She said the officers asked her to get out of the car because she was suspected of intoxication and they wanted her to answer some questions. She was placed in the back of their police vehicle, and the men she was with were told to meet the officers at another place, she reported.

The woman told police she was driven to a remote location and sexually assaulted. One of the officers forced her to have intercourse while the other officer forced her to perform oral sex, she told investigators.

Afterward, the woman was driven to Frankford Avenue at Clearfield Street, where her two friends were waiting. Shortly before 6 a.m., the woman filed a complaint with a patrol officer, who contacted his supervisor, Police Commissioner Sylvester M. Johnson said last month.

The patrol car and one of the officers' uniforms were processed for evidence. The woman was taken to a hospital for examination.

Contact staff writer Robert Moran at 215-854-2759 or bmoran@phillynews.com.

This content is no longer available at Philadelphia Inquirer, The (PA)