Former California police officer convicted for sexually abusing women while on duty

A California police officer has been convicted of sexually assaulting women while on duty, according to the Department of Justice (DOJ).

Former officer J. DeShawn Torrence of the Sanger Police Department was convicted on Wednesday on eight counts of deprivation of constitutional rights under color of law for sexually assaulting four women he encountered during the course of his official duties, according to a DOJ statement on Thursday.

The jury found that the offenses included kidnapping, aggravated sexual abuse, and attempted aggravated sexual abuse, all of which resulted in bodily injury.

Torrence, 42, kidnapped a 21-year-old woman who was walking to a store to buy groceries for her young children, drove her outside of town in his police car, and sexually assaulted her at an isolated dead end.

He forcibly raped a second victim, a 67-year-old woman, after following her into her home during a DUI investigation. With a third victim, Torrence arrived at her home in uniform after midnight, entered her apartment, pinned her against the kitchen counter, and sexually assaulted her.

He also repeatedly visited the home of a fourth victim, a domestic violence survivor, under the pretense of investigating a prior incident. During these follow-up visits, he forced her to expose intimate parts of her body without legitimate cause and sexually assaulted her.

The jury also heard testimony that Torrence sexually assaulted a fifth woman while acting in his capacity as a police officer.

“The Department was first made aware of the allegations in 2021, and he was immediately placed on leave while an internal investigation was launched,” the Sanger Police Department said in a statement following the conviction. “Torrence was terminated from employment with the Sanger Police Department in 2022.”

Five of the counts each carry a maximum penalty of life in prison and a $250,000 fine. The three remaining counts each carry a maximum penalty of one year in prison and a fine of up to $100,000. Torrence is scheduled to be sentenced on May 7.

“This officer’s crimes were an egregious breach of that trust and an appalling abuse of power, as he repeatedly preyed on the women in his community and violated their civil rights,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith for the Eastern District of California.

“The FBI Sacramento Field Office is grateful to the brave victims who came forward and trusted us to investigate the allegations of sexual abuse at the hands of a police officer,” said Special Agent in Charge Sid Patel of the FBI Sacramento Field Office. “The FBI is deeply committed to working with our partners to thoroughly investigate such cases to protect the American people and preserve public trust in law enforcement.”