A San Francisco Bay Area prosecutor will charge seven current and former police officers for their roles in an alleged underage prostitution scheme that has rocked the region's law enforcement agencies.
Alameda County District Attorney Nancy O’Malley announced Friday that she plans to charge five members of the Oakland Police Department, one member of the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office, and one member of the Livermore Police Department. The charges range from engaging in prostitution, to lewdness, to obstruction of justice. Three of the current and former officers face felonies.
The case began last year when an Oakland police officer killed himself and left behind a suicide note stating he had been involved with a teenage prostitute. The note also named several other officers who allegedly had contact with the girl, prompting a multi-agency investigation.
The now 19-year-old woman has said she had sex with more than a dozen officers in exchange for money and tips on when police planned to conduct prostitution raids.
The scandal has prompted a cascade of resignations and firings. In June, three Oakland police chiefs lost their jobs in one week. Wednesday, four Oakland police officers were fired, and Thursday a Livermore officer resigned.
O’Malley's announcement Friday states that she has also declined to charge other officers. She described the investigation as "labor intensive and extremely time consuming, and all necessary resources were expended."
"We left no stone unturned in regards to the evidence." O'Malley told reporters Friday.