Details emerged today from inside Newark Airport about the dark inner workings of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency. According to a report published moments ago by the U.S. Department of Justice, agents in this bustling New Jersey airport joked about what they termed a “Rape Table”. They are to appear in court today after having been charged earlier this year.
Three agents assigned to that airport have been charged and will appear in front of a judge this afternoon.
Tito Catota, 38, of Newark, New Jersey, Parmenio I. Perez, 40, of Paterson, New Jersey, and Michael A. Papagni, 32, of West Orange, New Jersey have been charged for their part in an airport brawl with other DHS security employees.
Newark Airport Rape Table
Mentioned in the story, the Passenger Enforcement Rover Team has a “rape table” in an office.
According to the DOJ release, another customs officer who was assigned to PERT in October 2016 had a run in with the trio on the rape table.
Within the first two weeks that Victim One worked in PERT, Papagni allegedly advised the unnamed officer and victim that the PERT office table was known as the “rape table” and threatened the victim that he would get him on it.
Customs Agents Use Rape Table to Assault Male Agent
On Jan. 10, 2017, Victim One was asked to retrieve and forward a document related to a prior drug seizure. While Victim One and an individual identified in the complaint as CBPO 1 were trying to scan the document, Papagni allegedly warned Victim One that he had five minutes to get out of the office or Papagni would teach him “what this team is about.”
This is where the three men committed what is described as a homosexual act of gang rape against the other officer.
“Moments later, an individual identified in the complaint as CBPO 2 shut off the lights in the PERT office. Papagni, Catota, and another officer identified in the complaint as CBPO 3 then allegedly grabbed Victim One’s arms and legs and threw him on top of the PERT office table,” the Department of Justice said in the complaint. “While Papagni, Catota, and CBPO 3 held him down, Perez got on top of Victim One’s mid-section and grinded his body up and down against Victim One’s genitals through the victim’s clothing in a motion simulating a sex act. Victim One unsuccessfully attempted to push Perez off his body. When Perez eventually got off of Victim One, Papagni, Catota, and CBPO 3 released him.”
Second Gang Rape Incident Comes to Light
It’s not the first time the trio gang raped another male customs agent on the “rape table”, according to the DOJ.
“On Nov. 30, 2016, Victim Two, who was assigned to the Port Director staff, went to the PERT office to speak to CBPO 1. A few minutes later, Victim Two saw an officer identified as CBPO 4 lock one of the doors to the office,” According to the DOJ complaint. “Victim Two started to walk towards the other door to the PERT office but it was closed. Catota, Papagni, and Perez then grabbed Victim Two and threw him on his side on the PERT office table. While two of the defendants held Victim Two down on top of the table, the other defendant got on top of Victim Two and moved his genitals up and down on Victim Two’s leg in simulation of a sex act. Victim Two struggled to get free until Catota, Papagni, and Perez eventually released him.”
Agents Accused of Operating Rape Table Facing up to 8 Years in Prison…
If found guilty, the three rape table operators are looking at a maximum potential penalty of eight years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
