Guilty Plea From Former Peekskill Police Officer in Sexual Abuse Case

A former Peekskill, NY Police Officer has pleaded guilty to forcibly sexually abusing a woman, on multiple occasions, threatening her with arrest.

Former Peekskill Police Officer Michael Agovino, 35, plead guilty to three counts of Burglary in the Second Degree as a Sexually Motivated Felony, two counts of Burglary in the Second Degree, two counts of Sexual Abuse in the First Degree, Attempted Burglary in the Second Degree as a Sexually Motivated Felony, Attempted Burglary in the Second Degree, Stalking in the First Degree as a Sexually Motivated Felony, and Falsifying Business Records in the First Degree, all felonies. He also pled guilty to four counts of Official Misconduct, three counts of Coercion in the Third Degree, and two counts of Forcible Touching, all misdemeanors.  

Westchester County District Attorney Miriam E. Rocah, in her announcement, shared that in exchange for his plea to each count in the indictment, the Court promised Agovino a sentence of seven years in state prison followed by 15 years of post-release supervision. In addition, Agovino will also have to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison.  Allegedly, the DA's office shared their strong objection to this agreement to the Court, stating that Agovino faced significantly more prison time if convicted after trial.  

DA Rocah shared the following.

Michael Agovino disgracefully violated his oath of office and his responsibility to serve and protect the public as a police officer by repeatedly abusing his authority, and sexually abusing this woman.

The incidents happened on multiple occasions between 2019 and 2020 while Agovino was on duty as a Peekskill officer.  It was reported that two times in July of 2019, Officer Agovino unlawfully entered the victim’s Peekskill home where he stated that he was conducting an investigation and she was a suspect.  Upon entering the home, he demanded the victim remove all of her clothing, stating he was doing a body search, and then sexually abused her.  A second visit to the same home resulted in a threat of arrest of the victim unless she removed her clothing or performed a sex act on him.  He reportedly again sexually abused her.

Details went on to describe that three times over the following five months, still while on duty, Agovino unlawfully entered, or attempted to enter, the same victim's home, for the purpose of sexual gratification.  During one of these instances it was reported that Agovino sexually abused the victim.  The final visit, in January of 2020, the victim audio recorded the interaction, unbeknownst to Agovino, and that recording was given to the District Attorney's Office.

Agovino was arrested on February 15, 2020, and resigned from the Peekskill Police Department in 2021.