by Antoinnette Borbon
Sergio Alvarez, the West Sacramento officer who has been charged with 28 counts ranging from sexual assault to rape, kidnapping and burglary, took the stand today in his own defense. But he would deny the encounters were forced.
One by one, Deputy District Attorney Garrett Hamilton would ask about what he did with each alleged victim. In regard to alleged victim number one, Alvarez would state on the night in September, 2012, he responded to a 911 call from a phone inside the Target store in West Sacramento. Alvarez told Hamilton, after it turned out to be nothing, he left the area and cleared the call to dispatch.
He was asked how and when he met alleged victim one. Alvarez stated, “I don’t recall.” Hamilton said, “Then how is it that you ran her name?”
Alvarez replied, “I’m not sure how. I didn’t recognize her face.” He stated he didn’t remember her when she testified, but he said he could have met her on the street somewhere and decided to run her name for warrants.
Mr. Hamilton asked, “So is it your testimony that you did not drive her to the alley and force her to orally copulate you?” “That is correct,” Alvarez replied. “Why would she tell this court about the encounter with you? Is she lying?” Hamilton asked. “Um, I don’t know why.”
J. Toney, defense counsel, would direct Alvarez’s attention to the car he used between the periods in which the alleged incidents took place. Toney asked Alvarez if he had ever used a different car. Alvarez said he did have issues with the MAV (mobile audio and video) recording device and other mechanical problems that may have made it be a different patrol car while his was being fixed during the time periods between 2011 and September of 2012.
Alvarez again said, “I don’t know why she would say that.”
During cross-examination, Mr. Hamilton brought up the fact that Alvarez had the ability to turn the MAV system on and off. He questioned him about an incident where Alvarez had been disciplined for not having his recording system on while he had a female in the back of the patrol car. Alvarez admitted he never turned it on but did not know why.
The next incident talked about was with alleged victim number two. Toney asked him to talk about that night in September when Alvarez met her.
Alvarez said he saw her walking late at night and pulled over to check to see if she was had any active warrants. He said he checked her bags and searched her and found meth on her person. But he stated that after he spoke with her briefly, he let her go.
During cross-examination, Mr. Hamilton asked him that if that were the truth, “then why was her DNA found in the back seat of your car, right in the corner where she said she sat and lay while you assaulted her?” Once again, Alvarez stated, “I don’t know.”
Mr. Hamilton asked Alvarez why, during all the alleged encounters with these women, his camera was off. Alvarez stated he must have forgotten to turn it on.
The third alleged victim Alvarez testified about was the one on the spycam Alvarez used to record at the Town House Motel. Alvarez said he recorded himself and the woman because he wanted to see what it looked like.
“Why not just watch a porn?” Garrett Hamilton asked during cross-examination. “I guess I wanted to see myself doing it.” Alvarez replied.
Alvarez stated the oral copulation given by alleged victim number three was consensual.
Alvarez denied ever demanding that she open her door for him while she stayed at the motel.
When asked about how he met alleged victim number four, Alvarez said that he stopped to question her and ran a warrant check also, but stated the girl thought he was cute and gave him her number after he gave her a ride back to her parents’ home in West Sacramento.
Alvarez stated he tried to counsel her at times during the sexual indiscretions they had, but would deny ever giving her meth. The young alleged victim had testified earlier in trial that on one occasion Alvarez gave her meth as a gift. Alvarez told DDA Hamilton he did not know why she would say that in court.
The last alleged victim talked about was the one who had recorded a short video where she stated she had just given unwanted oral copulation to a cop.
Mr. Alvarez explained the night he met her he saw her walking late at night when he stopped to question her about working the streets. He said he ran a warrant check and found nothing so he gave her a ride to buy a phone charger and then she was dropped off free to leave.
“So why would she say she had just given you oral sex and it was unwanted?” Alvarez replied again, “I don’t know.”
Mr. Hamilton re-questioned Alvarez about the first incident with alleged victim number three. He asked why the woman, if she had been free to leave once he spoke with her, would tell detectives, “After I gave him oral I didn’t know if he was going to kill me execution style, leaving me on Raley Field.”
Alvarez essentially denied he raped or assaulted any of the women. But his only answer was the repeated assertion,”I don’t know.”
On Thursday the state will have two rebuttal witnesses. Trial is expected to end late Thursday after closing.
Alverez, is one despicable former WS cop. Wanna bet the ranks at WS are full of these sociopaths? The lunacy of his complete inability to articulate anything that he’s accused of doing is chilling, but he sounds like the pathological criminal he may very well be. Is he a serial rapist/sex offender? Will being a cop vs the ladies that were attacked give this likely rapist some advantage? Didn’t other WS cops also know about Alverez’ sexual crime spree under color, and have they been subpoenaed to testify?
So far we’ve not heard of anyone else knowing or being involved and possibly doing the same thing? But we also don’t know what or who else could be under investigation…that would be up to DA. It was clear he was not going to admit anything but hard to know wgat goes on in his mind? It is a bit scary! Hopefully he won’t ever patrol our streets again…
I heard Hamilton went pow. Good job. Antoinette, thank you for following this story. Tomorrows the last day for testimony. This is almost over
Yes…yea he was a lot softer than I would have been…if I were a man but he had a good way of tripping him up on his lies..I thought. Yes, its just about over! And you are very welcome, Rachel!!:)
You know this story is like a movie….I wouldn’t mind writing the complete story from way back. I think a goid movie title would be,”The dark side of the Law.”……just such a story of a man leading a double life that turns out more absurd than expected.
Or is it? It raises questions….