California Cop Bryan Benson Sexually Assaulted a Woman in His Custody, Then Tried to Cover It Up.

 

California Cop Bryan Benson Sexually Assaulted a Woman in His Custody, Then Tried to Cover It Up

Bryan Robert Benson was a police officer in Anderson, California.

In 2010, Benson arrested a woman for driving under the influence and began transporting her to jail.

He never took her straight there.

Instead, Benson pulled his unmarked police vehicle into a parking lot and sexually assaulted her while she was in his custody.

Then he tried to cover his ass.

Benson made a false radio report claiming he had already arrived at the jail. He later instructed the woman not to tell anyone what he had done.

In 2011, Benson pleaded guilty in state court to felony assault by a public officer and received one year in jail.

At the time, California law contained a staggering loophole. Once someone had been formally booked, state law did not explicitly make sexual activity between a law enforcement officer and a person in custody nonconsensual in every circumstance. Outrage over Benson's case helped lead California lawmakers to close that gap.

Federal authorities eventually stepped in.

Benson later pleaded guilty to deprivation of rights under color of law and, in 2014, was sentenced to five years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release.

She was arrested.

She was in his vehicle.

She was under his control.

He sexually assaulted her, then used his badge to try to make sure nobody found out.