August 25, 2004 LAWFUEL – Best for law, law news, legal news, law articles
As a result of an investigation initiated by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and conducted by both the Sheriff’s Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, a federal grand jury in Los Angeles today indicted a Los Angeles County deputy sheriff on civil rights charges for allegedly violating the civil rights of four women by using his position to force them to engage in sexual conduct.
The first three counts of the indictment, felony charges, allege that on three separate occasions the defendant forced two different women to engage in vaginal intercourse with him. A fourth count, a misdemeanor, alleges that the defendant engaged in inappropriate sexual contact with another woman. The fifth count, a felony, alleges that the defendant forced another woman to perform oral sex.
Each of the four felony charges carries a maximum penalty of life incarceration and a $250,000 fine. The fifth misdemeanor charge carries a maximum penalty of one year incarceration and a $100,000 fine.
The prosecution of individuals who deprive others of their rights under color of law is a significant priority of the Department of Justice. Since the start of fiscal year 2001, the Department has convicted over 200 defendants of such violations.
The case is being prosecuted by attorneys from the Civil Rights Section of the United States Attorney’s Office in Los Angeles and the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division.
An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
