That's when federal prosecutors stepped in and charged him with two felonies.
MILWAUKEE - Ladmarald Cates, a former Milwaukee Police
officer, faces federal charges of raping a woman while on duty in July 2010.
Cates had reportedly responded to her 911 call.
Those charges came months after the Milwaukee County
District Attorney's office first investigated Cates, but declined to prosecute
him.
That's when federal prosecutors stepped in and charged him
with two felonies.
According to the indictment, "This assault included
aggravated sexual abuse and resulted in bodily injury."
The MPD fired him in December, five months after the alleged
crime.
Attorney Robin Shellow, who represents the alleged victim,
says the police department and the district attorney's office should be
"ashamed and embarrassed."
She told TODAY'S TMJ4's Melissa McCrady over the phone that
"each of those agencies knew the officer committed acts of sexual
misconduct and did nothing."
Shellow then went on to say that Milwaukee Police Chief Ed
Flynn and District Attorney John Chisholm should step down.
The Police Department responded by saying, "The first
time Officer Cates came before Chief Flynn for a fireable offense, he was
fired."
The District Attorney's office released this statement,
saying in part, "Our sensitive crimes unit charges hundreds of sexual
assault cases every year, and we have our most experienced people review those
cases. We take allegations of police misconduct seriously, but have an ethical
obligation to only charge cases we believe can be proven."
TODAY'S TMJ4 tried talking with Cates, but he apparently was
not home.
Cates, 43, faces a sentence of up to life in prison if he is
convicted.
His first appearance in court will happen on September 30th.