GREENVILLE — A Piedmont police officer is facing a pair of felony charges after he allegedly groped and repeatedly asked a woman for sexual favors.
Woodrow D. “Woody” Massa, 60, of Patterson is charged with the Class C felony of first-degree sexual abuse and the Class E felony of harassment.
He has been a Piedmont police officer for more than a decade and twice ran for Wayne County Sheriff, losing to incumbent Dean Finch in 2020 by 68 votes out of almost 5,700 votes cast.
According to the probable cause statement by Wayne County Sheriff’s Deputy Jesse Drum, the alleged victim came to the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office on Oct. 26 and requested to speak with a deputy about filing a complaint against Massa.
In the alleged victim’s complaint, she said Massa came to her residence twice that day and he “made a habit“ out of asking her for sexual favors and wanting her “to do things to him for money.”
She said it was the fifth time Massa had come to her residence asking her to do things and that he also groped her that day. She also said she feared he would not stop and that the Piedmont police would not do anything about his behavior since he was a police officer.
The alleged victim reportedly told Drum and Wayne County Chief Deputy John England Massa had a $20 bill and asked her if she wanted to make some money, at which time he allegedly grabbed her breast.
Deputies interviewed the alleged victim’s neighbors, one of which said Massa had been to the alleged victim’s residence at the time she said he was there. Another neighbor reported seeing a police officer in the neighborhood at that same time.
Massa denied the allegations when he was interviewed by Wayne County deputies on Oct. 28. He was later released on his own recognizance and is currently on administrative leave without pay from the Piedmont Police Department.
If Massa is convicted of the charges, he is facing between three and 10 years in prison on the sexual abuse charge, plus a fine of up to $10,000 and possible lifetime supervision after he is released. The harassment charge carries a potential sentence of one to four years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000.