On Wednesday, a federal jury in Fresno found former Sanger Police Department Officer J. DeShawn Torrence guilty of eight counts of deprivation of constitutional rights under color of law. The charges stem from the sexual assault of four women during his official duties. The jury determined that the offenses involved kidnapping, aggravated sexual abuse, attempted aggravated sexual abuse, and resulted in bodily injury.
The announcement was made by Deputy Assistant Attorney General Kathleen Wolfe of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith for the Eastern District of California, and Special Agent in Charge Siddartha Patel of the FBI Sacramento Field Office.
Evidence presented at trial showed that Torrence committed multiple assaults. He kidnapped a 21-year-old woman on her way to buy groceries and assaulted her at an isolated location. He raped a 67-year-old woman after following her into her home during a DUI investigation. Another victim was assaulted after Torrence entered her apartment late at night while in uniform. A fourth victim, previously involved in a domestic violence case, was forced to expose herself during supposed follow-up visits by Torrence.
“Law enforcement officers are entrusted with great power to protect the public and keep them safe from harm. This officer’s crimes were an egregious breach of that trust and an appalling abuse of power, as he repeatedly preyed on the women in his community and violated their civil rights,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Beckwith. “We stand ready to investigate and prosecute such crimes with all the tools we have available.”
“The FBI Sacramento Field Office is grateful to the brave victims who came forward and trusted us to investigate the allegations of sexual abuse at the hands of a police officer,” said Special Agent in Charge Sid Patel. “The FBI is deeply committed to working with our partners to thoroughly investigate such cases to protect the American people and preserve public trust in law enforcement.”
The investigation was conducted by the FBI Sacramento Field Office with assistance from the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office. The prosecution team includes Special Litigation Counsel Michael J. Songer from the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Escobar for the Eastern District of California.
Torrence's sentencing is scheduled for May 7, 2025. He faces a maximum penalty of life imprisonment and a $250,000 fine for five counts, while each remaining count carries up to one year in prison and fines up to $100,000. The court will determine his actual sentence based on statutory factors and Federal Sentencing Guidelines.