An alleged victim of a rogue San Diego police officer cried while she recounted how the officer followed her into a public restroom and stood in front of the door while she removed her panties in exchange for getting out of a DUI charge.
Arevalos, is accused of 21 felonies stemming from traffic stops where he’s accused of preying on young women, asking for sexual favors or underwear in exchange for not issuing citations.
One of those women, identified only as “Jane Doe,” testified the officer suggested she give over her bra and panties in exchange for avoiding a DUI citation.
“He kept telling me to stop crying, that I have options,” she testified explaining how the former officer offered to make a deal. Watch: Excerpt from Jane Doe's Testimony
"Jane Doe" testified she was shocked when she registered a .08 in field breathalyzer test after being pulled over on G and 8th Streets on March 8, the night of Mardi Gras in the Gaslamp.
Arevalos offered to let her take off her underwear in the bathroom of a nearby 7-11 and give them to him in return for not being arrested “Jane Doe” testified Thursday.
The Deputy District Attorney showed jurors surveillance video from that night of an officer and a woman walking into a bathroom together and then again walking. Watch: Surveillance Video
The woman recalled how once inside the convenience store, Arevalos followed her into the bathroom and stood in front of the door.
“He told me that I had nice breasts and he wanted to see them,” the woman testified.
“I took my shirt and lifted my shirt and hooked my finger under my bra so that it all came up at once and then I put it back down,” she said. “Then he came over to me."
"Jane Doe" went on to describe how Arevalos touched her inappropriately, rubbing his finger against her genitals.
"He put his arm around me and said it'll be better if you lean against me and pulled me against his shoulder and I tensed up," she said. " I was frozen."
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The next day, the woman went to San Diego police to report the incident and filed a report that led to Arevalos being charged with multiple counts of sexual assault under the color of authority.
Soon after, she worked with investigators to collect information via phone calls and text messages with Arevalos.
In a phone call played for jurors, Anthony Arevalos told "Jane Doe" she will not face charges for DUI.
"I know what I'm doing out there. I know what it takes to make the arrest," Arevalos is heard on the call recorded by police investigators. Watch: Recorded Phone Call
"If I don't hand [the paperwork] in, then no one knows about it," he said.
Days later, on March 11, Arevalos was arrested. After his arraignment on charges including false imprisonment, assault under the color of authority, sexual battery by restraint and receiving a bribe, Arevalos was fired after an 18-year career with the San Diego police department.
Defense attorneys have advised jurors to remember all seven alleged victims had been drinking before their encounters with the former police officer.
Arevalos did not use specific sexual words in some interactions with the alleged victims and was joking in others according to the defense.
