A Watertown police officer has been arrested, accused of tampering with a raffle at a police-sponsored golf tournament to benefit a cancer center and trying to steal a watch and bracelet that were donated for the event.
Watertown police officer Christopher Masayda, 26, of Watertown, has been charged with fifth-degree larceny and breach of peace and the Watertown police department is launching an internal affairs investigation.
State police said the alleged theft happened on Oct. 6 at a police-department sponsored charity golf tournament at Crestbrook Park Golf Course in Watertown to benefit the Harold Leever Regional Cancer Center.
Masayda is accused of tampering with raffle drawings and later stealing a watch and bracelet that a local jeweler donated for the event. The prize was estimated to be worth $595, according to state police.
Police said someone who was complaining about the raffle process took video that showed Masayda taking a piece of paper from under a raffle prize, folding it, putting it inside a raffle prize bag, then picking up the bag and walking away from the raffle area.
After seeing the video, tournament and raffle organizers asked Masayda to show them the winning raffle ticket for the gift bag. State police said he could not produce the ticket and gave the bag back.
Masayda is also accused of taking the cellphone that police said had video of him stealing the items.
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When Masayda spoke with police, he told them he went to the tournament after work, had not slept and was drinking, according to the arrest warrant application.
He admitted to stealing the raffle prize, but said he immediately regretted it and was thinking about giving it back when he person confronted him and accused him of stealing, according to police.
Masayda denied getting into a fight and said he was not trying to take the cell phone, police said. He also denied tampering with the raffle, but later agreed he was interested in the men’s watch and said it was “an easy score because no one was paying attention,” according to the arrest warrant application.
State police arrested Masayda Monday and he was released on a promise to appear. He is due in court on Nov. 20.
"The events reported today are deeply disturbing and very troubling," Watertown Police Chief John Gavallas said in a statement Monday. "However, they are the actions of a single individual and they do not reflect the behavior of the hardworking men and women of this department."
Masayda's attorney, Daniel A. Esposito, told NBC Connecticut, "Clearly, this was not Officer Masayda's finest hour."
"To allow a regrettable afternoon to overshadow a life devoted to the protection of others is unfair," Esposito said in a statement. "Chris didn't steal anything and he certainly didn't get in a fight because of it. To be sure, Chris will learn from this and be a better officer because of it."
