A former Virgina police officer who had been on the force for little more than a year has been sentenced to 18 years in prison for raping a teen, WJAR reported.
The former Portsmouth, Virginia officer, Cleshaun Alfonzo Cox, 31, was convicted of “violating the civil rights of a minor victim by forcibly sexually assaulting her while on duty,” according to WJAR.
While “in uniform and working in his official capacity as an officer,” in May 2019, Cox reportedly assaulted a 17-year-old girl who had been the focus of a noise complaint, WJAR reported. (RELATED: Former Philadelphia Police Officer Sentenced To 15-40 Years For Sexual Assault While In Uniform)
Although a more senior officer had told the girl to drive home, Cox “followed her in his marked vehicle and instead instructed [the victim] to drive to a parking lot,” Federal prosecutors cited court documents saying.
Once there, Cox allegedly told the girl that in exchange for a sexual act, he would not cite her for fabricated traffic offenses, the outlet quoted court documents saying.
The victim refused Cox’s indecent offer, but the officer nevertheless ordered the girl into his vehicle and drove to an isolated area where he assaulted her, court documents show.
Cox reportedly “knew that [the victim] was only 17 years old” and that “she did not want to have sex with him,” WJAR reported court documents showing. In addition, Cox admitted he lied about his actions that night to state investigators.
“Sexual assaults perpetrated by police officers are heinous crimes,” Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke said, “especially when children are the targets, and particularly deplorable when facilitated by the sheer power and authority that police wield over the public.”
Cox will serve 18 years in prison, after which he will serve five years of supervised release and be required to register as a sex offender in compliance with the Federal Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act.