A convicted sex offender groped New York City Councilwoman Sandy Nurse during a tour of Rikers Island Tuesday morning, The Post has learned.
According to police sources, inmate Gregorio Garcia slapped the nurse on the butt twice “without any provocation or communication” at about 10:50 a.m. – then “grabbed her and put her in the control room”.
Corrections officers immediately grabbed Garcia and exerted restraints on him — while the 5-foot-tall, 200-pound inmate tried to escape their grip, sources said.
Sources said he continued to struggle when they took him away and threw him back in his cell.
One source said, “This is a scary and dangerous situation that could have been much worse.”
Nurse is a Democrat who represents the city’s 37th Council District, which includes the central Brooklyn neighborhoods of Bushwick, Brownsville, Cypress Hills, CityLine and East New York.
She also serves as chair of the Criminal Justice Committee, and sponsored legislation making it illegal to use pepper spray on prisoners.
A source was quick to point out that this incident shows why this is a bad idea.
“This disturbing and unprovoked attack on a New York City Council member by a sexual predator demonstrates why the city’s jails need proper security measures in place to keep corrections staff, citizens and non-violent inmates safe – while also catching these predators Accountable for his crimes,” the source said.
“The City Council needs to stop proposing reckless legislation that would prevent employees from using pepper spray, and separate violent criminals from the general population before something tragic happens.”
Neither the nurse, nor her office, nor the city’s Department of Corrections immediately responded to requests for comment.
Garcia has been jailed on a first-degree sexual abuse charge following his November 2023 arrest, according to city jail and court records.
He has also been accused of assault and groping – and has pleaded not guilty to each charge.
Garcia is scheduled to appear in Manhattan Supreme Court on Thursday
Craig McCarthy and Haley Brown contributed to this report.
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