A Florida police officer was arrested Tuesday after officials said he stopped a pedestrian and told her he would not cite her for jaywalking or charge her for sexual misconduct in exchange for sexual acts with him.
Nicolas Paloma, 29, has been charged with sexual battery and false imprisonment, Clearwater Police Chief Eric Gandy said during a news conference. Paloma has been with the department since 2018.
"I had to check myself before coming in here, because I'm exceptionally upset at the betrayal of trust in the level of confidence that people have in our officers," Chief Gandy said. "It's exceptionally damaging to our reputation and the reputation of everyone in law enforcement."
The pedestrian stop of a 32-year-old woman happened early Sunday morning near the Clearwater Beach roundabout, Chief Gandy said. Investigators determined the woman was a tourist, FOX 13 News reports.
Paloma allegedly told the woman to get in his car and said he could take her to her hotel where she could take care of the charges by "doing things for him," Chief Gandy said.
The officer then allegedly took the victim around various locations on Clearwater Beach for about a half hour while engaging in sexual acts with her before dropping her off near her hotel.
Chief Gandy said Paloma also made efforts to hide his location from police. Authorities were made aware of the incident after responding to a dispute between the victim and a friend, where she told them about what happened with Paloma.
"It's intolerable in this profession and certainly in the Clearwater Police Department," Chief Gandy said.
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Clearwater police are asking anyone with information on this case or other cases to contact them. CPD has also reached out to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement in the event any other cases involving Paloma are reported.
"We have to proceed in the abundance of caution," Chief Gandy said. "This is a guy who under the cover of law took this action, and we have to be very careful to ensure that we don't have somebody else out there. We just don't know at this juncture."
Paloma has been placed on administrative leave and has no previous disciplinary history, according to police.
