Medina police officer under investigation in sexual-assault case

Issaquah police are investigating allegations that a Medina police officer sexually assaulted a woman who he had cited for a traffic violation and marijuana possession before getting the charges dropped.

Deputy Chief Steve Cozart said today that the woman reported the allegation a few weeks ago, stemming from an alleged incident in Issaquah late last year.

No arrest has been made and investigators are gathering information, Cozart said.

The officer is also under investigation for official misconduct, Cozart said.

As part of the investigation, a search warrant was obtained for the officer's cellphone records.

Medina Police Chief Jeff Chen couldn't be reached today, but KING-TV quoted Chen as saying he placed the officer on paid administrative leave two weeks ago when he learned of the allegations.

KING-TV reported the officer is 30 years old and a four-year veteran of the Medina department. Medina is a small, upscale suburb east of Seattle.

The Seattle Times is not naming the officer because he hasn't been formally accused of a crime.

In a search-warrant affidavit filed last week, Issaquah police said the allegations were referred to them March 19 by the King County Sheriff's Office.

The Sheriff's Office had been investigating an allegation that the woman's boyfriend sexually assaulted her. During the investigation, the boyfriend mentioned that the woman "didn't report the cop for raping her," according to the affidavit.

The woman then told a sheriff's detective that she had been sexually assaulted by a Medina police officer following a traffic stop that led to a further encounter between them, the affidavit said.

The woman told Issaquah police that the officer stopped her while she was driving. Records show the stop occurred Nov. 23 on Highway 520.

According to the affidavit, the woman told police the officer put her in the back of his patrol car and placed her into custody for driving with a suspended license and possession of marijuana.

The woman said the officer told her she was beautiful, put a hand on her and told her not to worry because the charges would go away.

The next day, she said, he called and they agreed to meet several days later.

After meeting in a parking lot, they went to his Issaquah home, the woman told police. She said she told him she wouldn't have sex on the first date.

She said he poured her a drink and mentioned that people are afraid of police officers because they have power and authority.

He also placed his gun on a table, the woman told police, making her feel intimidated.

During a tour of his home, she said, he pushed her onto a bed and sexually assaulted her after she told him again she didn't want to have sex.

The woman said that was their only meeting in person, but that he called and texted her after the incident.

According to the affidavit, the officer ultimately arranged with prosecutors to dismiss the traffic and marijuana charges, saying there were proof problems with the case.

Steve Miletich: 206-464-3302 or smiletich@seattletimes.com