LAPD Officer Denies He Abused Boys

A veteran Los Angeles police officer pleaded not guilty Wednesday to nine counts of molesting young boys, many of whom he met on duty.

Doyle John Craig, 34, surrendered to authorities Wednesday morning when he appeared in Municipal Court in Fullerton to enter pleas to five felony and four misdemeanor counts of child molestation.

Orange County Municipal Judge Daniel Brice had issued an arrest warrant for Craig late Tuesday. Brice set bail at $35,000, but that was reduced to $15,000 after a court hearing Wednesday.

Craig’s attorney, Paul J. Wallin, said his client is innocent and under other circumstances “might be commended rather than prosecuted.” Wallin said Craig did meet many of the boys while he was patrolling heavily Latino barrio areas of Los Angeles and invited them to his home on weekends to get them away from the inner-city environment. Wallin said this is a common practice among police officers who patrol that area.

Orange County Deputy Dist. Atty. Gregg L. Prickett said in court that Craig “befriended” 45 to 50 boys while he was working as a Los Angeles officer.

Wallin said that only three of the five felony charges filed by the Orange County district attorney’s office allege that Craig had physical contact with his victims.

The Los Angeles Police Department’s Internal Affairs Division began an investigation into Craig’s conduct in August after the department received a complaint from a parent. Since then, Craig has been relieved of his regular duties as a patrol officer.