Montes De Oca’s defense attorney, Lou Shapiro, said his client did not dispute that he inappropriately texted with the girl or destroyed evidence. Shapiro said the key issue was whether Montes De Oca was guilty of two counts of child annoyance — graver charges that carry stiffer penalties. The jury ultimately acquitted him of both counts.
“Defense expert Dr. Sanjay Sahgal testified that for a 31-year-old male to be sexually attracted to a 16-year-old post-pubescent female was not abnormal or unnatural from a clinical point of view,” Shapiro said. “[Sahgal] conceded that it was not normal from a moral point of view.”
Shapiro thanked the jurors “for being able to set aside the fact that he was a police officer and simply judge him based on the facts and evidence.”
Los Angeles City Atty. Mike Feuer had harsher words for Montes De Oca after the verdict was announced.
“This was an egregious breach of trust by an LAPD officer responsible for supervising student cadets,” Feuer said in a statement. “It is essential to hold the officer accountable for taking advantage of his position to victimize a minor. Our cadets commit to public service. They deserve our respect and our protection.”
Montes De Oca was required to stay at home during the months-long investigation into his conduct by the internal affairs division.
The officer has been with the department for about nine years. It’s unclear how long he was assigned to be a youth-services officer, the position in which he encountered the teenage girl.
In a statement, the LAPD said it treats allegations of misconduct seriously, especially those involving youth programs.
“When we learned about Montes De Oca’s actions, he was immediately relieved of duty and the LAPD’s criminal investigation led to today’s conviction,” the LAPD statement said.
It’s unclear whether Montes De Oca is still employed by the LAPD or faced any disciplinary action. Under state law, officers’ personnel records and disciplinary history are kept private.
Article Appeared @http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-lapd-officer-convicted-20170117-story.html