Santa Ana Officer Denies Guilt in Assault

A veteran Santa Ana police officer pleaded not guilty Monday to charges of sexual battery and assault against a woman he allegedly detained illegally while on duty in January.

Michael Cabrera, 38, of Orange was released on his own recognizance and scheduled to appear at a May 5 preliminary hearing to determine if there is enough evidence to bind him over for trial.

Cabrera, a 15-year member of the department, declined to speak with reporters after his arraignment. His attorney, John C. McCann, also did not comment.

If convicted, Cabrera faces up to four years in prison on charges of assault, sexual battery and false imprisonment stemming from a Jan. 5 incident.

Prosecutors declined to comment on the incident, which allegedly took place during a “field contact,” according to court documents. The complaint filed in court said Cabrera “unlawfully touch(ed) an intimate part” of a woman while she was “unlawfully restrained.”