Cop sexually assaulted teen sisters he met at youth program years ago, CA police say

Miami Herald

4 days ago

A veteran police officer has been charged after two sisters accused him of sexually assaulting them more than a decade ago, California police say.
Saul Duran was arrested July 7 on 'multiple felony charges related to the sexual assault of a minor,' the San Jose Police Department said in a July 8 news release.
'We were devastated to learn of these allegations and we hope that our swift investigation and arrest of Duran will demonstrate to survivors that we will treat your disclosure seriously, regardless of how much time has passed,' Chief of Police Paul Joseph said in the release. 'If the violator is a police officer, they will not be protected by other police officers.'
Two adult sisters came to police June 18 and accused Duran of sex crimes between 2008 and 2012 when they were minors, police said.
Through an investigation, police said they learned Duran met the sisters, ages 14 and 15, while he volunteered as 'a facilitator in a Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office program, known as The Parent Project.'
The project is aimed to benefit 'parents with difficult or out-of-control adolescents,' teaching them 'prevention and intervention strategies for destructive behaviors,' according to the program's website.
Duran worked as a volunteer with the program but 'served in an official capacity as a police officer,' police said.
The girls' mother thought of him 'as a positive influence' and gained her trust, police said.
She allowed her daughters to meet with him 'outside the scope of the program,' violating the program's policies, according to police.
'It was during these unauthorized and unsupervised interactions that the alleged crimes occurred,' according to police.
Duran, who was hired by the department in 2003, 'was placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of both a criminal and internal administrative investigation,' according to KTVU and police.
Police said they worked with the Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office, which 'determined there was sufficient basis for criminal prosecution.'
During a news conference, Santa Clara County District Attorney Jeff Rosen said that while Duran is accused of sexually assaulting both girls, the statute of limitations only allowed for charges to be filed in the younger sister's case, KQED reported.
Rosen said Duran was 'charged with five counts of lewd and lascivious acts on a child who is 14 or 15 years old,' the radio station reported.
'Sometimes, parents abuse children. Sometimes it's teachers or coaches. Sometimes a police officer. It might seem like this happens so much, but statistically these are still aberrations,' Rosen said in the release. 'The SJPD and the DA's Office are here to deal with criminal aberrations, to try and prevent them, and make sure that predators – like this one – stop and pay for what they have done.'
Duran was released from jail after posting $250,000 bail and is scheduled to appear in court for arraignment Aug. 7, KPIX reported.
Police said there may be additional victims and anyone with information is asked to contact them at 408-277-4082.