A former police officer from Florissant, Missouri, has admitted in federal court to unlawfully searching the phones of 20 women during traffic stops to obtain nude images.
According to court documents, Julian Alcala conducted these actions while on duty and in uniform between February 6, 2024, and May 18, 2024. During this period, Alcala pulled over the women and took their mobile phones back to his patrol car under the pretense of confirming insurance coverage or vehicle registration. He then searched through their phones without a warrant or probable cause.
Alcala used his personal cell phone to take photographs of images he found in various folders and apps on each victim’s device that depicted either the victim or someone close to them in a partial or full state of nudity. In one instance, he also found and forwarded a video from a victim’s phone to his own device. The incident came to light after this victim discovered the forwarded video and reported it to the FBI. A subsequent investigation led by the FBI uncovered additional victims through search warrants executed on Alcala’s phone and cloud storage.
On Tuesday in U.S. District Court in St. Louis, Alcala pleaded guilty to 20 counts of deprivation of rights under color of law—specifically, violating individuals’ right to be free from unreasonable searches and seizures.
He is scheduled for sentencing on March 11, 2026. Each count carries a possible penalty of up to one year in jail and a fine of up to $100,000.
The case was investigated by the FBI and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine Krug.
