NYPD off-duty cop arrested in rape case

A teacher walking to work Friday morning was grabbed off an upper Manhattan street by a drunken off-duty police officer, who walked her several blocks into an apartment building's deserted backyard and raped her, authorities said.

Officer Michael Pena, 27, was swiftly arrested by responding officers after a building resident saw through her window that something was happening and called 911, police said.

Pena is an officer in the NYPD's 33rd Precinct in Washington Heights, south of the Inwood neighborhood where he's accused of raping the woman. He was being held Friday pending an arraignment on charges of forcible rape and was suspended without pay, chief police spokesman Paul Browne said. He couldn't be reached for comment because he was jailed, and it was unclear if he had an attorney.

Pena approached the teacher, 25, shortly before 6:30 a.m., asking her for directions, Browne said. Pena grabbed her, opened his jacket, showed her a gun and said, "You're coming with me," according to police. -- AP