Lake County deputy fired after sexual battery charge
In our society there is a stigma attached to sex crimes. One doesn’t even need to be convicted of the crime before consequences could begin to arise. A Lake County Sheriff’s deputy with 13 years experience is experiencing that now after he was accused of sexual assault. He was fired from his job late last month.
The alleged incident occurred while he was working, in the course of a traffic stop. The alleged victim was with her boyfriend when he sought assistance from the deputy because she had passed out. According to the woman, the deputy attacked her after she woke up. The woman said that during the sexual assault the law enforcement officer told her not to tell and that he would let her boyfriend go.
The officer was fired before he was even arraigned. He has been charged with sexual battery by a law enforcement officer with a firearm.
It is likely that DNA evidence will play a role in this case as it plays out in the court system. According to detectives who worked the case, the woman’s DNA was found in the deputy’s patrol car. In addition they said her claims were supported by a sexual assault examination. As evidence plays a vital role in many criminal cases, as a part of his defense, the accused man will probably do what he can to rebut it.
As this case illustrates, depending on one’s circumstances, even an accusation of a sex crime can impact one’s life in ways they may not anticipate. While the loss of one’s job is certainly upsetting, things could get much worse for the former deputy. Depending on the outcome of the criminal charges he is facing, he could spend time behind bars. In addition, if convicted, he could have to register as a sex offender. This could impact things like future employment and housing far into the future.
Source: WESH, “Lake County deputy accused of sexually battering woman charged, fired,” Feb. 18, 2014
