Malibu Sheriff's Captain Target Of Sexual Misconduct Investigation
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Outside a Los Angeles Sheriff's station (Michael Dorausch via Flickr)
Claims against Stephen, Williams and Ward were made by a deputy who is the daughter of one of Sheriff Lee Baca's top aides. The deputy's accusation that the three men sexually coerced her was made shortly after facing her own unrelated felony charge of vandalism and misdemeanor charge of battery, for which she is currently on unpaid leave. Stephen told the Times that the allegations against him were the deputy's attempt to draw attention away from her alleged misconduct and "save her own skin." When asked whether he and the deputy had engaged in a sexual relationship, Stephen replied, "I don't want to get into that."
WitnessLA noted that Capt. Ward "retired very suddenly on December 31, 2012," and that "everything we are hearing suggests that this story is deeper and wider than what has been confirmed thus far."
ALSO SEE: Sheriff Baca Under Fire For Inmate Abuse
The LASD has been plagued by scandal in recent months. This month, Daniel Cruz, former captain of Men's Central Jail and Bernice Abram, former captain of the Carson station, were forced to retire. Cruz was accused of condoning the violent abuse of inmates, a charge he denies. Abram, the subject of a federal investigation, was overheard warning a Compton drug trafficker and gang member of upcoming LASD activity in his neighborhood. Neither Cruz nor Abram has been convicted. In December, Undersheriff Paul Tanaka was implicated in a plan to foil an FBI investigation into jail abuses by relocating an inmate informant. Tanaka currently retains his post as Undersheriff.
To hear LASD spokesman Steve Whitmore address the allegations against Stephen, Williams and Ward go here.
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