The former New York City police officer convicted of sodomizing Haitian immigrant Abner Louima with a broomstick at a police precinct in 1997 was released early from federal prison, a Federal Bureau of Prisons official confirmed to the New York Post.

After serving 24 years of a 30-year sentence, authorities transferred Justin Volpe, 51, on Tuesday (June 13) from a lockup in Sandstone, Minn. to “community confinement” in New York, which means the disgraced cop is either in home confinement or at a halfway house.

During his trial, Volpe admitted that he shoved a wooden broomstick into Louima’s rectum and pleaded guilty to battery and sexual abuse of Louima. Volpe threatened to kill Louima, who was handcuffed when the assault happened, if he told anyone. The former officer also boasted to other officers about his brutal attack, during which Louima’s rectum and bladder were damaged. The city settled Louima’s lawsuit for $8.75 million.

The New York Daily News reported that Volpe requested a compassionate release from incarceration in 2021 due to COVID-19. Volpe told authorities that he received no medical treatment after contracting the virus in prison. His request was denied.

Standing outside his family’s Staten Island home, Volpe told the Post that he has “nothing but love in my heart for New York City and everybody in my case involved, especially Mr. Louima,” adding that he wants to rebuild his life.

Louima, 56, said he cannot forget Volpe’s brutality but has forgiven him.

“I’m a Christian…of course I’ve forgiven,” Louima told the Post. “He knows what he did and if he wants to repent, it will be up to him. If the justice system wants to release him, they will. Let it be.”