A judge ordered Manuel Reyes to stay away from his alleged victim for an entire year
By Dusty Christensen
CHICOPEE — A judge has extended a harassment prevention order against a Holyoke police captain who has been accused of sexually assaulted and harassing a subordinate.
In Chicopee District Court on Tuesday, a judge ordered Manuel Reyes — one of the Holyoke Police Department’s top officials — to stay away from his alleged victim for an entire year. Late last month, a Holyoke judge had granted a temporary harassment prevention order against Reyes after a junior officer said that he groped and kissed her without her consent and made repeated, unwanted sexual advances to her over the period of several years.
The Shoestring does not identify victims or alleged victims of sexual harassment or assault.
Reached by telephone Tuesday afternoon, Reyes told The Shoestring that he was surprised by the outcome and intends to appeal. He declined to offer further comments.
The extension of the harassment prevention order means that Reyes must stay away from the alleged victim, as well as her home, until April 11, 2024.
In a narrative accompanying the original harassment prevention order filed last month in Holyoke District Court, the junior officer said that the alleged misconduct happened both inside the police department and elsewhere and that she found Reyes to be intimidating as her supervisor.
“Captain Reyes was a Lieutenant, my boss,” the statement says. “To me he held power over me.”
Western Mass News was in the courtroom on Tuesday and reported that Reyes and his attorney challenged the accusations against him, but that the alleged victim said her communication with Reyes was always professional and never romantic. The judge ultimately found the junior officer’s accusations credible enough to extend the harassment prevention order.
Reyes is currently on paid leave as an internal investigation proceeds, according to statements that the police department and mayor’s office previously released.
Reyes has served as the Holyoke Police Department officer in charge of internal investigations since at least 2015, according to internal affairs records. Last year, he made $168,863 in total pay, according to city payroll records.
Dusty Christensen is an independent investigative reporter based in western Massachusetts. He can be reached at dusty.christensen@protonmail.com. Follow him on Twitter: @dustyc123. Screenshot: Western Mass News
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