A former Florissant, Missouri police officer was sentenced on Mar. 11 to 24 months in prison for illegally searching the phones of 20 women and taking nude images, according to a statement from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Missouri.
The case highlights concerns about abuse of authority by law enforcement officers and its impact on public trust. The sentencing also included an order for Julian Alcala, 31, to pay $2,681 in restitution to his victims.
According to court documents, Alcala pulled over women between February and May 2024 while on duty and in uniform. He took their mobile phones under false pretenses—claiming he needed them to confirm insurance or vehicle registration—and searched through them without a warrant or lawful reason. When he found nude images or videos, he photographed them with his own phone or forwarded content to himself. The investigation began after one victim discovered her video had been forwarded and reported it to the FBI, which led authorities to uncover additional victims through search warrants of Alcala’s devices.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine Krug said in court that Alcala violated his oath as an officer and replaced victims’ trust with “mistrust and disgust and fear of law enforcement.” She noted that Alcala victimized multiple women during single shifts.
Alcala pleaded guilty in December to 20 counts of deprivation of rights under color of law. Special Agent in Charge Chris Crocker of the FBI St. Louis Division said, “When Julian Alcala abused his authority, the damage extended far beyond his immediate victims. His actions dishonored the badge and undermined the public trust that every officer is sworn to uphold. I appreciate the leadership of the Florissant Police Department for working closely with the FBI to hold Alcala accountable and ensure he could no longer victimize members of this community.”
The FBI investigated the case, which was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine Krug.
