Two Chicago police officers indicted for sexually assaulting a woman while on duty each have pleaded guilty to felony official misconduct in a plea deal that alleges no sexual wrongdoing on their part and keeps them from serving time in prison.
The officers' misconduct drew outrage from officials at the time of the incident in March 2011. Cook County State's Attorney Anita Alvarez told reporters that the two had "essentially destroyed" their oath of office, while then-interim Chicago police Superintendent Terry Hillard dubbed the allegations "heinous criminal activity" that offended him as a father.
But Alvarez's office put out no public announcement after Paul Clavijo, and Juan Vasquez, both 41, each pleaded guilty Jan. 22 to a single felony count and were sentenced by Judge Lawrence Flood to two years of probation. Both had faced many years in prison after being indicted in May 2011 on 26 counts of criminal sexual assault, criminal sexual abuse and official misconduct.
Clavijo was also charged with the sexual assault of a second woman while also on-duty about three weeks before the other alleged rape.
Both officers pleaded guilty to official misconduct involving battery. There was no reference to the alleged sex crimes. They won't have to register as sex offenders.
Sally Daly, a spokeswoman for the state's attorney, said Friday that the plea agreement was "the best possible outcome" in the case "based on the circumstances" and won the support of both alleged victims, neither of whom now live in the Chicago area. Court records show one victim's blood alcohol content was measured that night at 0.38 percent, nearly five times the legal limit to drive, prosecutors previously reported.
The felony conviction will preclude Clavijo and Vasquez from working again as police officers, Daly said. The two resigned months ago.
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