A California woman filed a federal complaint against an Anaheim police officer this week, accusing him of sexually abusing her four months after he first saw her at an In-N-Out restaurant and contacted her using her car plate number.
In a lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in the Central District of California, the woman identified only as Jane Doe, accuses Anaheim police officer Carlos Romero of abuse and sexual assault. The city of Anaheim is also listed as a defendant.
The woman argues she was subjected to an unjustified search and seizure and was denied her right to due process.
The Orange County District Attorney’s Office did not respond to phone calls Wednesday asking if it had contemplated pressing criminal charges against Romero.
Romero, who has been placed on administrative leave by the Anaheim Police Department, was unavailable for comment Wednesday, and it was unclear whether he had an attorney.
“We hold our police officers to the highest standards, and our police department thoroughly investigates all matters of employee misconduct,” said Mike Lyster, a city of Anaheim spokesperson.
He stated that when officials learned about the alleged occurrence, they promptly initiated a criminal inquiry.
The woman claims in her lawsuit that she was at an In-N-Out restaurant in Anaheim on May 19, 2023, when she spotted Romero smile at her.
The next day, she received a Facebook friend request from Romero, who acknowledged via direct messaging that he had obtained her personal information by running her license plate number, according to the lawsuit.
Romero requested her phone number, and the two began messaging, with the lady expressing she did not want a romantic relationship, according to the document. According to the lawsuit, Romero sent her text messages and paid her visits while on duty over the next four months.
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According to the lawsuit, the woman eventually agreed to kiss Romero at her house but rebuffed his sexual advances. Romero asked to visit the woman’s house on September 25, 2023, and she accepted, stating that she did not want to have intercourse with him, according to the report.
Romero, who was on duty, dressed in uniform, and driving his police vehicle, began kissing the woman and later had oral sex with her consent, according to the lawsuit. However, he then pulled his pants down and sexually abused her, according to the lawsuit.
The woman continuously told Romero, “No,” but he persisted until she was able to shove him off of her, according to the lawsuit. According to the report, he then grabbed her and forced her to have oral sex with him as per NBCNEWS.
She “was terrified and fearful for her life,” according to the lawsuit. “She just wanted Romero to leave.” According to the claim, his service weapon was on top of a couch and easily accessible.
The woman seeks at least $10 million in damages. Her attorney, Gregory Peacock, could not be reached for comment on Wednesday.