NJ corrections officer union leader raped at least 2 women this month, officials charge

TRENTON — A Mercer County corrections officer is facing more charges after a second woman said she was raped by him this month.

Donald J. Ryalnd, 44, is being accused of kidnapping and raping a woman on Oct. 12 in Trenton.

Police say they were called to a residence for what Mercer County Prosecutor Angelo J. Onofri described as an “unknown trouble call.” At the home, officers found a woman with a cut and swelling on her left eye.

According to Onofri, the woman told police she had gotten into Ryland’s car and was driven to an unknown home. When they got to the porch of the home, the woman said Ryland “grabbed her by the throat, put her in a headlock, struck her head against the porch and punched her in the head before sexually assaulting her and fleeing the area.”

Days before these charges were announced, Ryland was arrested and charged with sexually assaulting a different woman at a park. In that incident on Oct. 6, the woman told police that Ryland had taken the woman to the Cadwalader Park and chased her after she got out of the car. After knocking her to the ground, Onofri said Ryland sexually assaulted her before she was able to alert park security.

Authorities did not publicly reveal whether Ryland knew either of the women or whether they had agreed to meet before the alleged assaults.

Ryland is a corrections officer at the Mercer County Correction Center and president of the Mercer County PBA Local 167.

In addition to his initial charges of one count of second-degree sexual assault, Ryland is now charged with kidnapping, aggravated sexual assault and aggravated assault.

Onofri said the investigation is ongoing and encouraged anyone with additional information about the case to contact Detective Anthony Petracca at 609 989-6424 or Detective Laurel Rogers from the Trenton Police Department at 609-989-4155.

Ryland is scheduled for a detention hearing on Oct. 25.

New Jersey 101.5 did not know Thursday whether Ryland had an attorney who could speak on his behalf.

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Contact reporter Adam Hochron at 609-359-5326 or Adam.Hochron@townsquaremedia.com