Politics and Current
Missouri cop stole woman’s phone during traffic stop, then allegedly stole intimate photos for his own use until FBI uncovers disturbing pattern
Two lawsuits have been filed against a Missouri police officer accused of stealing nude photos of ladies he stopped for alleged traffic violations.
In the most recent lawsuit, filed Friday, a pair identified as Jane and John Doe are looking for $25,000 for invasion of privacy and emotional distress after a Florissant, Missouri, police officer allegedly forcibly took her phone after a traffic stop in February 2024 for a broken tail light. The woman said she complied with the request when the officer told her she had to offer proof of insurance for the phone, in keeping with Law & Crime.com.
After unlocking the device, the officer, identified in court documents by the pseudonym “Joe Smith,” “suddenly” grabbed it without her consent and retreated to his patrol automobile, the lawsuit alleges. He stayed within the automobile for 10 minutes before returning the phone. She was not charged with the broken light.
In July, the girl was visited by FBI agents who asked her to discover a printed, enlarged photograph of a nude woman. She was “shocked” to search out that the photo was of herself and was intended for her husband’s eyes only. Agents told her that the Florissant officer had kept other nude photos of the girl.
The officer, who has since been fired, “peeked at nude photos of her and her husband,” the criticism alleges, then used his own phone to take photos of Doe.
The victims are likely a married couple and a minor. separate suit making similar accusations against the officer. The criticism alleges that “Florissant had received complaints of inappropriate conduct by Officer Smith in the past and decided to retain him.”
In an announcement, the Florissant Police Department said it was “deeply troubled by these allegations and wants to assure the community that we take all claims of officer misconduct very seriously. The safety of all members of our community remains our highest priority. We hold our employees to a high standard of integrity and expect them to treat every member of our community with dignity and respect.”
The FBI and the St. Louis County District Attorney’s Office are investigating the officer’s actions. Police say he’s the one Florissant officer involved within the alleged crimes.
“Nobody expects this to happen. Nobody should have to go through this, to suffer this humiliation,” said attorney Rick Voytas, in keeping with First Alert 4. “It was important for Jane to take the matter to court because she felt very intimidated.”
