Fresno Officers Claim Unjust Sexual Assault Allegations, File Lawsuit Against City and Superiors

A lawsuit has been filed by two pairs of police partners in Fresno, who say they were wrongly accused of sexual assault and its cover-up by higher-ranking cops.

The lawsuit was filed on July 30 in response to an incident that occurred on June 3, 2023, during which a woman claimed to be sexually assaulted by Officer Sean Clapper while being questioned by police. However, the filing contends that if the Fresno Police Department pursued the case appropriately, body-worn camera footage and other evidence would exonerate the officer.

According to the complaint filed with the U.S. Eastern District Court of California, Clapper was joined in the case by his partner, Daniel Saldana, and two other officers who were partners, Justin Phoolka and Karanpreet Sangha.

Sontaya Rose, a spokesman for the Fresno Mayor’s Office, states that the city of Fresno does not comment on ongoing lawsuits. Although none of the officers were charged with a crime, the petition claims that the accusations have hampered their ability to progress within the department.

According to DA spokesperson Taylor Long, the Fresno County District Attorney’s Office informed The Fresno Bee that due to the pending litigation, prosecutors would not discuss the issue other than to state that charges against the officers were dropped “due to insufficient evidence.”

Sgts. Jonathan Long, Dave Wilkin, and Paco Balderrama, the previous chief, are named as defendants in the case along with the city of Fresno.

The allegation is that the policemen were the victims of retribution and other irregularities, and that their personal belongings were unlawfully stolen when their electronic devices were seized.

Records state that they are requesting a sum of money that will be determined at trial and is not indicated. Requests for comment from the four men’s lawyers went unanswered.

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According to the lawsuit, the cops on that particular night were carrying out a warrant on behalf of a woman who was under probation and had a criminal past including drugs, firearms, and prostitution.

With a few crucial exceptions, the officers’ body cameras recorded the entire exchange with the woman. According to the lawsuit, the first occurred when Phoolka removed his camera to talk to her about being a confidential informant—a member of the public who provides information to law enforcement. A cadet and another officer were allegedly there at the moment and both had their cameras rolling, according to the lawsuit.

The woman turned down the invitation. According to the claim, she was driven to Fresno County Jail by Clapper in a police vehicle the second time around without a rolling camera. He turned off his camera since it was beeping nonstop, indicating that the battery was about to run out.

According to the lawsuit, the woman was thrown into the cruiser by police after telling a nurse at the jail that she had been hit on the head by an officer twice. She was sent to a nearby hospital for an assessment.

According to the lawsuit, the woman informed Clapper that she wanted to talk to a family member at the hospital, but he turned her down out of courtesy. According to the lawsuit, she asked a nurse at the hospital to examine her using a rape kit.

According to the complaint, the victim gave contradictory accounts of the sexual assault to the police. She claimed that when she was conversing with Phoolka, an Asian, about being a confidential informant, she was attacked.

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She identified Clapper, a white police officer, in a lineup that featured all four policemen among fifteen images of police officers in uniform, according to the lawsuit.

The claim continues by alleging that Long, one of the defendant sergeants, directed the woman through the lineup instead of following procedure. According to the lawsuit, the cruiser’s digital tracker further demonstrated that it never deviated from its intended path.

According to the court document, the officers’ civil rights were violated by both Sergeants Long and Wilkin; all four were subjected to questioning and DNA testing. The lawsuit claims that on several occasions, the defendants gave the officers’ lawyers orders to leave the questioning area.

According to the lawsuit, the cops turned down a second interview round with the more senior police. Despite Clapper’s occasional administrative leave throughout the inquiry, all four officers are still employed by and on duty with the Fresno Police Department, according to the lawsuit.

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