What harm is there in flirting? A great deal if you are a member of law enforcement. A Bronx, NY highway cop, officer Carlos Becker, 36, went on a dinner date with Erica Noonan, 30, a woman he pulled over for a DUI last March. Since, they’ve texted each other over 600 times with romantic plans to cook for her and take trips to Atlantic City, NJ, and five days after the arrest he texted: “I’m going to talk to the district att on Monday. Don’t worry I got u. Text me ur lawyer’s name.”
Noonan replied: “Seriously? That was nice of you … ”
Somewhere along the the path of this romantic tryst, domestic violence was added to the itinerary. Noonan claims she woke up in Becker’s Long Island home with a swollen black eye.
Noonan’s attorney, Eric Sanders, is accusing Becker of using his power as a law enforcement officer to “take advantage of people.”
However, the Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association lawyer Stuart London disagrees: “There’s no criminality involved at all and we’re optimistic that he’ll be exonerated of all charges.”
Cops are prohibited from associating or socializing with arrestees to avoid the appearance of improperly influencing the outcome of the case.
Becker pleaded not guilty to the one count indictment in Bronx Supreme Court and was released on his own recognizance on Friday, July 26. He says Noonan injured herself.
