CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officer is on unpaid administrative leave and has been charged with sexual battery.

• Incident happened at a nightclub in Uptown
• Michael Santiago has been placed on unpaid leave
• He has been with the department since 2016

Officials with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department say officer Michael Santiago, 30, is accused of touching a woman inappropriately while off duty. It happened at around 1:30 a.m. at the Roxbury nightclub in Uptown Charlotte on W. 5th Street.

“I am disappointed by this incident. As officers, we uphold the law and absolutely will not tolerate one of our own violating it. Officers who disregard the law will be held accountable for their actions,” Chief Kerr Putney said in a statement.

Santiago has been with the department since June 2016. The incident is being investigated by CMPD.