OAKLAND, CA (AP)–Prosecutors have charged seven current and former San Francisco Bay Area police officers in a sexual misconduct scandal involving a teenager.
Alameda County District Attorney Nancy O’Malley announced the charges Friday at a news conference in Oakland.
The wide-ranging scandal surfaced when a teenage woman who described herself as a prostitute said she had sex with about 30 law enforcement officials throughout the region.
The now 19-year-old said she had sex with four of the officers before she turned 18 and sometimes traded sex for protection from arrest or tips about planned prostitution stings.
The Associated Press generally doesn’t identify people who say they are victims of sex crimes.
Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf said disciplinary action has begun against a dozen officers, including dismissal proceedings against four.
Here’s a look at some key details around the case:
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WHO IS THE WOMAN AT THE CENTER OF CASE?
The 19-year-old woman, who says she worked as a prostitute, says she informed internal affairs investigators months ago that she had sex with three Oakland police officers and a Contra Costa County deputy before her 18th birthday. In all, she said she has had sex with about 30 law enforcement officials, mostly during the past year. She said she received money during a few encounters and often traded sex for protection from arrest and tips on prostitution stings
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HOW DID IT COME TO LIGHT?
One of the three Oakland officers accused by the teen committed suicide in October, leaving behind a note discussing having sex with the woman. The two other Oakland officers and the Contra Costa County deputy have resigned.
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WHAT CONSEQUENCES DO OFFICERS FACE?
Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf said dismissal proceedings have begun for four Oakland officers, seven will serve a range of unpaid suspensions before being allowed to return to duty and another will be required to attend training classes. Two officers implicated in the scandal previously resigned. A third killed himself last year. Six Richmond police officers and several others working for other law enforcement agencies have also been implicated. On Thursday, a Livermore police officer who had been on administrative leave resigned after seeing the results of his department’s investigation.
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WHO ARE THE OFFICERS?
The mayor declined to identify the officers. It’s unclear if any of the officers are represented by lawyers. The police officers’ union said previously it wasn’t representing most of the implicated officers because the alleged misconduct occurred while they were off duty.
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WHAT’S NEXT?
Alameda County District Attorney Nancy O’Malley said she will announce her office’s decisions on charges in the criminal investigation Friday afternoon. The woman is in a drug treatment center in Florida.
