Former officer admits to searching women's phones for nude photos during traffic stops

A former police officer from the St. Louis suburbs has confessed to illegally examining the phones of 20 women during traffic stops over several months last year. Julian Alcala, previously with the Florissant Police Department, pleaded guilty Tuesday to 20 counts of violating the right to be free from unreasonable search and seizure.

As part of a federal agreement, prosecutors dismissed a felony obstruction charge against Alcala. Each count carries a potential penalty of up to one year in prison, a $100,000 fine, or both. Alcala, 30, remains out on bond ahead of his sentencing scheduled for March 11, 2026.

The plea deal revealed that Alcala initially stopped a woman in February 2024 and claimed he needed to check her insurance details. Instead, he accessed her phone, discovered a video of her involved in sexual activity, and sent it to his own device. He also photographed a nude image directly from her phone.

Over the next few months, Alcala reportedly took the phones of 19 other women during traffic stops, citing reasons like verifying insurance or registration. He searched for nude images and photographed them without a warrant or probable cause, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Missouri.

The misconduct occurred between February 6 and May 18, 2024. The officer's actions were uncovered after the first victim noticed that a video had been sent to an unknown number, prompting her to contact the FBI. Investigators traced the activity to Alcala, leading to a search that revealed additional explicit images.

The U.S. Attorney's Office confirmed that Alcala used his own phone to capture images found in various folders and apps, depicting victims or their loved ones in partial or full nudity.

Author: Benjamin Carter