Charges were brought against a former officer from Missouri, stemming from accusations of unlawfully searching women’s phones during traffic stops to access intimate and explicit images stored on the devices.
Julian Alcala, 29, a police officer from Florissant, faces 20 counts related to the deprivation of rights and an additional count for destroying records in a federal investigation, as announced by the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Missouri on Thursday.
The concept of rights deprivation pertains to the protection against unwarranted searches and seizures, as outlined in the Fourth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.
The federal indictment reveals that Alcala allegedly seized women’s phones during traffic stops to verify their insurance or vehicle registration. According to the indictment, he examined their phones for explicit images and captured photos using his own personal device.
In a particular instance, it is claimed that Alcala sent himself a video via text and subsequently erased any evidence of that message.
He faces allegations involving 20 women between February 6 and May 18.
On Wednesday, the Florissant Police Department issued a statement expressing that it had no prior knowledge of the allegations. According to the statement, Alcala underwent a detailed and comprehensive background check during the hiring process, and there had been no complaints regarding him in the 11 months he had been employed.
“We are disgusted at this behavior, which is a complete betrayal of the values we uphold and in no way reflects the professionalism and integrity of our dedicated officers,” the department said. “We recognize the gravity of this breach of trust and its impact on our community.”
In June, Alcala stepped down following communication from the FBI regarding an investigation involving him, according to a statement from the police department.
Legal actions have been initiated against Alcala and the city, with one lawsuit reflecting a claim previously stated by federal prosecutors. A recent lawsuit lodged in the district court claims that Alcala transmitted a private video featuring a couple engaged in sexual activity to himself.
In February, Jane Doe was stopped by police, and according to the lawsuit, Alcala retrieved her phone after she provided the insurance details saved on it. She observed that “a text message had been deleted” from the moment of the stop.
The lawsuit stated that Alcala forwarded the video to himself and subsequently erased the message “to cover his tracks.” He faces allegations of acquiring a nude photo from her phone during the same incident.
A warrant was issued for Alcala on Wednesday, according to court records. The current status of his custody remains uncertain. He has yet to make a court appearance and currently lacks a listed attorney.