A former Missouri police officer admitted to despicable behavior on the job that could land him in jail for decades. Julian Alcala worked for the Florissant Police Department in suburban St. Louis for less than a year. During that time, he reportedly took the phones of 20 women during traffic stops to search for nude photos. Alcala used his position in law enforcement to manipulate his victims, a behavior the US Department of Justice won’t tolerate.
According to a news release, Alcala pulled over the women from February 6, 2024, to May 18, 2024. He told the US District Court in St. Louis that he took the women’s phones back to his patrol car under false pretenses. He told 19 victims he needed the phones to verify insurance. He told the 20th victim he needed to verify her vehicle’s registration.
“Alcala then searched through the phones without a warrant or probable cause. He used his own cell phone to take photographs of one or more images that portrayed either the victim or a loved one or both in a partial or full state of nudity that he found in various folders and apps,” the release explains.
Alcala pleaded guilty to 20 counts of deprivation of rights under color of law for unreasonably seizing and searching the women’s phones. He will return to court for sentencing in March 2026. Each count carries a penalty of up to one year in jail and a fine of up to $100,000. He could face prison time and a fine.
When the allegations came to light in November 2024, his former employer, the Florissant Police Department, flamed Alcala in a Facebook post.
“We are disgusted at this behavior, which is a complete betrayal of the values we uphold and in no way reflects the professionalism and integrity of our dedicated officers. We recognize the gravity of this breach of trust and its impact on our community. Rebuilding that trust is our top priority, and we are committed to transparency, accountability, and regaining the confidence of those we serve,” the department wrote in the post.
This is the kind of story that makes us so angry. Our parents taught us to trust and respect authority, yet people like Alcala have no problem betraying that trust. They use their positions to undermine a woman’s intelligence. We hope the judge in Alcala’s case sees that and puts him right where he belongs.
