Newport News officer arrested in second abduction case

A Newport News police officer was arrested Thursday and charged with rape, abduction with the intent to defile and forcible sodomy.

It was the second arrest for Officer Christopher E. Miner on abduction charges.

According to a Newport News police news release, Miner, 37, was arrested at 5 p.m. Thursday at police headquarters without incident.

The most recent charges stem from a reported incident at Miner's residence on Dec. 6, according to police. The victim is a 37-year-old female who knew Miner, police said. 

Miner was already on administrative leave pending internal and criminal investigations, police said.

In January, Miner was charged with abduction for immoral purposes after a 27-year-old woman told police that he refused to allow her to leave a residence after they had spent a "social evening" together, according to a police news release.

The most recent incident was brought to police attention after media coverage of the January arrest, police said.

Miner has been with the department since July 2003 and was a patrol officer with the Central Precinct, according to police.   

Miner received a Valor Award in 2005 from the Virginia Association of Chiefs of Police for his actions in 2004 when a suspect he was chasing on foot started firing at him, according to the association's Web site. Miner fired back, striking the man in the thigh. After backup arrived and a perimeter was established, the suspect apparently shot himself in the head and died, according to the Web site.