Former Detective of Year thought he was sexting teen while on duty, CA officials say
_fitted.png "A Santa Ana Police Officer, once named Detective of the Year, is accused of sexting a civilian decoy he thought was a 14-year-old girl, at times while on duty, officials said. (Screen grab from Google Street View)")
A California police officer, once named Detective of the Year, is accused of sexting a civilian decoy he thought was a 14-year-old girl, at times while he was on duty, officials said.
Gregory Daniel Beaumarchais, 43, is facing “one misdemeanor count of annoying or molesting a victim believed to be under the age of 18,” according to a statement from Orange County District Attorney’s Office released on Tuesday, Aug. 2.
“It is beyond disturbing that a sworn police officer would engage in inappropriate conversations with someone he believed to be a child,” District Attorney Todd Spitzer said. “Our children should not have to worry about being preyed upon by the very people we teach them who are there to protect them.”
Beaumarchais’ lawyer did not immediately return McClatchy News’ request for comment.
Beaumarchais, who has been an officer with the Santa Ana Police Department since 2011 and was named Detective of the Year for 2019, was placed on leave in December 2021 after the department learned of the “potential criminal conduct,” according to Santa Ana police.
“Misconduct, of any type, negatively impacts the commitment to public service demonstrated by the overwhelming majority of our officers,” Police Chief David Valentin said in a news release. “We will ensure a complete, thorough and objective administrative investigation is conducted immediately following the conclusion of the criminal case.”
Orange County investigators partnered with Homeland Security after a civilian decoy who was pretending to be 14 years old told Orange County Crime Stoppers they were being sent messages from “someone claiming to be a 45-year-old police officer,” according to prosecutors.
Beaumarchais is accused of “sending graphic messages” to the decoy from December 2021 to January 2022, the district attorney said.
After Beaumarchais’ access to the social media platform was cut off, he created another account using a “similar social media handle,” prosecutors said. Officials did not specify on which social media site the alleged graphic messaging took place.
Beaumarchais, who turned himself in on Tuesday, Aug. 2, faces a maximum one-year prison sentence, according to the district attorney’s office. If convicted, he would have to register as a sex offender.
“Today’s filing of criminal charges for showing sexual interest in children shows no one is above the law when it comes to keeping communities free from predators,” said Shawn Gibson with HSI Los Angeles.
This story was originally published August 3, 2022 at 1:02 PM with the headline "Former Detective of Year thought he was sexting teen while on duty, CA officials say."
