The Vanguard Staff
WASHINGTON, DC – A former Sanger (CA) Police Dept. officer has been indicted by a Fresno federal grand jury for “deprivation of constitutional rights” after allegedly sexually assaulting four women he encountered on duty.
Sanger is 13 miles east-southeast of Fresno.
DeShawn Torrence, according to a U.S. Dept. of Justice statement, was indicted in 2022, charged with “engaging in various forms of nonconsensual sexual conduct, ranging from directing a victim to remove her clothing without a legitimate law enforcement purpose to forcing his victims to engage in sex acts, all while serving as a police officer.”
The superseding indictment adds a charge for another alleged victim, according to the indictment, stating Torrence “sexually assaulted the additional victim after locking her in his patrol vehicle and driving her to an isolated location.”
The DOJ said five counts in the new indictment carry a maximum penalty of life in prison and a $250,000 fine, with one count equal to a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison.
The DOJ added the “remaining counts each carry a maximum statutory penalty of one year in prison and a fine of up to $100,000. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors,” if the accused is found guilty.
