Lawrence Etsitty, Sexual Abuse, New Mexico 2009

A former police officer has pleaded guilty to sexually abusing a woman in his custody in New Mexico. Lawrence Etsitty, 30, a former police officer with the Navajo Police Department, pleaded guilty to violating the civil rights of the victim when he touched and kissed her against her will, while she was handcuffed.

According to court documents, on January 25, 2009, at approximately 2:40 a.m., Lawrence Etsitty, while working in his capacity as an officer of the Navajo Police Department, arrested the victim outside of the Fire Rock Casino in Churchrock, N.M.

Etsitty then handcuffed the victim and placed her in the back of his patrol vehicle. However, Etsitty then radioed in to dispatch that he did not have evidence for an arrest and that he was going to release the victim.

Instead of releasing the victim, Etsitty pulled off onto an isolated road in the desert, choosing this location because of its isolation and because there were no other vehicles or people nearby.

He then opened the back door of his patrol car where the handcuffed victim was sitting, and forcibly pulled her toward him and out of the car. Etsitty then began touching the victim while she struggled to get free and pleaded with Etsitty to take her home.

Ultimately, Etsitty dropped the victim off in a parking lot near her home, at which point the victim ran away.

On January 27, 2009, Etsitty voluntarily spoke to the FBI and made false statements in which he denied any sexually assaultive conduct.

Lawrence Etsitty faces a maximum sentence of up to six years in prison. A sentencing date has not yet been scheduled.

This case was investigated by the Albuquerque Division of the FBI and is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Fara Gold of the Civil Rights Division.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/archives/opa/pr/former-new-mexico-police-officer-pleads-guilty-sexual-abuse