Former Patterson Police Department Officer Convicted for Civil Rights Violation
Jeffrey Prince Sexually Assaulted Victim While on Duty as a Patterson Police Officer
| U.S. Attorney’s Office September 16, 2009 |
LAFAYETTE, LA—United States Attorney Donald W. Washington announced that JEFFREY PRINCE, age 24, of Patterson, Louisiana, was convicted for a civil rights violation late yesterday evening by a jury in federal court after two days of trial.
Trial testimony established that on May 18, 2008, JEFFREY PRINCE, while on duty as a police officer with the Patterson Police Department, sexually assaulted Mekeltinay Talver when she arrived at the Patterson Parish Jail to visit her brother, who was incarcerated at the time. Prior to May 18, 2008, Talver received an unsolicited telephone call from PRINCE who blatantly told her that he wanted to have sex with her, in which Talver refused the offer and told PRINCE that she was not interested. On May 18, 2008, Talver came to the jail, and was told by PRINCE to remain in her car. PRINCE came to her car and sexually assaulted Talver. She grabbed his wrist to defend herself and PRINCE threatened to arrest her for assault on a police officer.
U.S. Attorney Donald Washington stated: “Those who are commissioned to enforce the law must be completely obedient to the law. This officer committed a heinous and despicably, cowardly act by sexually assaulting another human being. Most law enforcement officers discharge their duties faithfully. This defendant officer ignored his oath and abused the trust that we place in commissioned officers. He deserves the maximum sentence allowed by law.”
PRINCE faces a maximum of 12 months’ imprisonment, a fine of not more than $100,000.00, and a term of not more than one year of supervised release following confinement. Sentencing in federal court is determined by the discretion of federal judges and the governing statute. Parole has been abolished in the federal system.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney James T. McManus.