March 2, 2010 San Diego

Jurors convicted Detective Thomas John Sadler 49, of felony assault and battery but acquitted him on four other felony charges. Sadler picked up a prostitute in February of 2008 in his unmarked police car on El Cajon Boulevard and drove her to a parking lot in Mission Valley. His intentions were for sex at first but Sadler lost his nerve when he got to the parking lot.

Sadler had reported to be deeply depressed at the time says the defense attorneys. Three women had testified against Sadler in the trial. One woman said that Sadler fondled her against her will. He told her “B**ch I can do whatever I f**king want.” Sadler then told her to take her clothes off so that he could search her for narcotics. The victim said that a female officer must be present. According to the victim, Sadler then began to fondle the her so she jumped out of the vehicle to take a picture of the detectives license plate. As Sadler tried to grab her cell phone from her hand another vehicle pulled up and Sadler took off.

Jurors acquitted Sadler of felony sexual battery but convicted him of felony assault and batter and two misdemeanors. Sadler is currently on unpaid administrative leave from the San Diego County Sherff’s Department.

Sadler will not have to register as a sex offender and because he is law enforcement he will have to be put into protective custody according to his attorney. Sadler also faces up to three years in prison.

San Diego Criminal Law

Tags: attorneys, california, Criminal Law, san diego lawyers