May 17--A Monterey Park police officer is facing multiple felony charges for sexually assaulting three women during traffic stops, including forcing them to expose themselves, authorities said.
Israel Sanchez, 40, has been charged with three felony counts of false imprisonment, one count of bribery, two counts of felony assault under color of authority and four counts of sexual battery by restraint, according to a Los Angeles County criminal complaint.
Monterey Park Police Chief Jim Smith said the department and city were taking the incident seriously. The department, he said, holds its employees and officers to high ethics and standards.
"We have zero tolerance for conduct that is not in line with those standards," he said.
Sanchez, who has been working as a patrol officer for three years, was arrested Monday after detectives with the Long Beach Police Department investigated the allegations.
The Monterey Park Police Department, which received complaints about Sanchez, asked Long Beach police to investigate to "avoid any conflict of interest," Smith said. Sanchez was then placed on paid leave, where he remains, the chief said.
The assaults occurred between July 28, 2014, and Aug. 15, 2014.
The women, whose were between 20 and 28 years old, were forced to expose themselves during traffic stops conducted while Sanchez was on duty, according to Jane Robison, spokeswoman for the Los Angeles County district attorney's office.
Sanchez allegedly ordered two women to expose themselves during separate traffic stops and touched them, she said.
If Sanchez is convicted of the charges, he faces more than eight years in prison.
veronica.rocha@latimes.com
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