Officer accused of sexual assault
A former Bell police officer was arrested by FBI agents Thursday morning after being indicted on civil rights charges for allegedly forcing a woman to have sex with him while he was on duty.
Feliciano Sanchez, 33, of Pico Rivera is accused of sexually assaulting the woman following a traffic stop last year, according to the indictment filed in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles.
After pulling the woman over, Sanchez allegedly drove her to a remote area where he forced her to engage in a sex act, according to the court documents.
Sanchez worked for the Bell Police Department for 3 1/2 years before being fired in September, according to the U.S. attorney’s office. He is charged with deprivation of rights under color of law and carrying a firearm during a crime of violence.
If convicted of the civil rights charge, he faces a potential life sentence, federal prosecutors said.
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-- Scott Glover
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