2 LAPD Officers Under Investigation In Forced Sex Scheme
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — Two veteran LAPD officers are under investigation for allegations they forced women, including informants, to have sex with them.
Officers Luis Valenzuela and James Nichols, who work undercover in the Hollywood Division's narcotics section, are accused of luring at least four women into unmarked cars and forcing them to have sex or face jail time, KNX 1070's Pete Demetriou reported.
Authorities say the crimes spanned a five-year period, according to the initial report published by the Los Angeles Times.
Investigators had been working the case for almost three years and were ready to arrest the men, but one of the alleged victims filed a lawsuit against the pair.
Internal Affairs detectives then had to scrambled to seize the officers' phones, computers and other evidence, police said.
Chief Charlie Beck issued a statement saying that he is "shocked and saddened by these allegations of criminal misconduct. We will investigate this matter thoroughly. If proven true, we will prosecute the officers, both administratively and criminally."
The officers have been placed on home assignment.
LAPD officials did not release any further information on the case as it is still under investigation.
