Missouri Cops Accused of Pulling Over Girls and Looking out Their Telephones for Nudes

In two separate authorized circumstances, former cops in Missouri have been charged with pulling girls over after which looking out their cell telephones for nude footage.

On Tuesday, 39-year-old former Missouri State Freeway Patrol trooper David McKnight was indicted by a grand jury in U.S. District Court docket, a press launch states. McKnight, who resigned from the drive in August, is accused of taking cell telephones from 9 completely different girls and, upon discovering nude or sexually express footage, taking footage of them along with his personal cellphone. McKnight allegedly advised the ladies that he wanted their telephones to substantiate that they had insurance coverage or to confirm their identification. Ultimately, he deleted these footage from his cellphone, the press launch claims, citing the indictment. The offenses are alleged to have taken place between September 1, 2023 and Aug. 19, 2024.

The Related Press reports that McKnight was arrested by patrol investigators on Aug. 21 and resigned a number of days later. He’s now charged with one rely of destroying information in a federal investigation and 9 counts of deprivation of rights associated to an unreasonable search and seizure.

On Thursday, one other former police officer, 29-year-old Julian Alcala, who beforehand labored for the Missouri metropolis of Florissant, was accused of doing very a lot the identical factor. One other federal press release accuses Alcala of looking out the telephones of 20 completely different girls. Like McKnight, authorities declare Alcala would take footage of nude images he discovered on the ladies’s telephones.

The Seattle Occasions reports that Alcala had not been with the police division lengthy, joining in January 2023. The alleged offenses came about between Feb. 6, 2024, and Could 18, 2024, the DOJ’s press launch states. Alcala faces related expenses to McKnight.

In an announcement posted to its Facebook page, the Florissant Police Division stated, of the allegations towards Alcala: “We’re disgusted at this conduct, which is an entire betrayal of the values we uphold and by no means displays the professionalism and integrity of our devoted officers. We acknowledge the gravity of this breach of belief and its impression on our neighborhood.”

The assertion added: “Alcala was employed as a full-time Police Officer with the Metropolis of Florissant after a meticulous and thorough background investigation, which revealed no areas of concern. Throughout his eleven months of employment, he acquired no complaints or accusations of misconduct.”

Prosecutors are asking different individuals who assume they might have been impacted by related crimes to return ahead.

Gizmodo reached out to the Missouri State Freeway Patrol for remark.