A 27-year-old officer faces a felony charge, accused of inappropriately touching a dead woman’s body while on duty. Christine Kim reports for the NBC4 News on Thursday, Dec. 12, 2019.
An LAPD officer suspected of fondling a dead woman's body was charged by prosecutors and arrested Thursday, authorities said.
David Rene Rojas was booked by LAPD internal affairs detectives on a warrant that accused him of having sexual contact with human remains, according to the LA County District Attorney’s Office.
Rojas, 27, was arrested without incident at his home in Montebello, several law enforcement sources told NBC4.
The incident happened on Oct. 20 but wasn't publicly acknowledged until Dec.5, when LAPD Chief Michel Moore said the officer's alleged conduct had been detected during a random review of video recorded by the officer's body worn video camera.
"This incident is extremely disturbing and does not represent the values of the Los Angeles Police Department," Moore said in a statement.
The Los Angeles Police Protective League, the union that represents most officers, said last week it would not provide legal defense for the officer.
Rojas was hired by the LAPD in July 2015, according to records obtained by NBC4. He has been assigned to the Central Division in downtown LA for about two years.
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Internal affairs detectives were examining his entire career at LAPD, including a review of other body worn video he recorded while on duty, as part of the investigation, the sources said.
