BIRMINGHAM — A former Killen police officer was sentenced Wednesday in the Northern District of Alabama to 15 years in prison for sexually assaulting a woman while on duty and for receiving sexually explicit photos of a minor.
According to documents filed in connection with this case, Officer Jarrod Gailen Webster violated the civil rights of a woman after initiating a traffic stop on the woman’s vehicle on Nov. 12, 2023.
“Jarrod Webster forcibly assaulted a woman after a traffic stop, and exploited a minor to receive sexually explicit images,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This was a gross abuse of his authority as a police officer and a betrayal of the public trust. I am proud of our DOJ Civil Rights team for holding him accountable.”
In the traffic stop, Webster asked the woman to step out of her vehicle and asked her what she wanted to do to “get out of this.”
When the woman told Webster that she was not going to do anything for him, Webster handcuffed the woman and sexually assaulted her, the documents said.
Further, between June 2016 and October 2018, Webster communicated with a minor by phone, and he asked the minor to produce and send him sexually explicit images. According to the documents, the minor victim sent multiple photos to Webster at his request, at least one of which constituted child sexual abuse material.
Webster pleaded guilty to one count of deprivation of rights under color of law and one count of sexual exploitation of children on March 4.
“This sentence sends a clear message that such criminal conduct will not be tolerated,” said U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona for the Northern District of Alabama. “I commend the dedication of our law enforcement partners and prosecutors to ensure that Webster was held accountable for his actions.”
The FBI Birmingham Field Office investigated the case.
“Law enforcement officers are entrusted with significant responsibility and are therefore held to a higher standard,” said Special Agent in Charge David R. Fitzgibbons. “Today’s sentencing clearly demonstrates there are serious consequences when someone tarnishes the badge by breaking the law. Jerrod Webster brought shame to the badge by committing the horrific crimes of sexually assaulting a woman in his care and receiving sexually explicit images of a minor.
“His sentencing confirms that the FBI has zero tolerance for officials who prey on the citizens they are sworn to protect.”
Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Royster for the Northern District of Alabama and Trial Attorney Sarah Howard of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section prosecuted the case.
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