A San Jose police officer was arrested Thursday and charged with indecent exposure after he allegedly was caught masturbating in a family’s home while he was responding to a disturbance call.
Officer Matthew Dominguez, 32, was arrested Thursday and will be arraigned on a misdemeanor indecent exposure charge on June 22 at 9 a.m. in the Hall of Justice, according to a Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office news release. If convicted, Dominguez could face a year in jail and be placed on the sexual offender list for a decade. He is on paid administrative leave from the police department. Dominguez has been on the force for four years.
“The charged behavior is beyond disturbing,” said District Attorney Jeff Rosen. “Law enforcement officers respond to our homes to help crime victims, not terrorize, traumatize, and create new victims.”
On April 21, Dominiguez responded to a call that a mentally ill family member was being violent, authorities said. He went to a home with two other officers.
Dominiguez allegedly sent the other officers away to find the subject of the initial call and began touching himself in front of two of the family’s female members, according to prosecutors. He also exposed himself to the mother, authorities said.
The victims fled and reported Dominiguez’s alleged behavior to two other male relatives, authorities said, and one also reporting seeing the officer exposing himself in the dining area.
The San Jose Police Department released video of Chief of Police Anthony Mata walking Dominguez out of the internal affairs office Thursday.
“Last week I said that when an Officer violated the public’s trust or engages in criminal conduct I would personally walk that Officer out the door. Today I did it,” Mata said in a statement.
Anyone with additional more information about this case can contact Criminal Investigator Christina Hanks at 408-792-2851 at the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office.
Source: www.mercurynews.com