Former West
Sacramento police officer, Sergio Alvarez, facing 35 counts of... (Deo
Ferrer/Democrat) The West Sacramento police officer accused of kidnapping, rape
and a raft of similar charges appeared in court Wednesday, although no plea was
entered and bail remained set at $26.3 million.
Sergio
Alvarez, 37, was brought into a Woodland courtroom for his arraignment
Wednesday afternoon, but the proceeding was delayed a week while attorneys
analyzed information in the case.
In
a 35-count indictment, Alvarez is accused of sexually assaulting six women in
West Sacramento over a one-year period. Charges filed against him include
kidnapping, sexual penetration, oral copulation and sodomy against the victims'
will. The indictment claims he used his position as a uniformed police officer
"by threatening to use his authority as a public official to arrest and/or
incarcerate" his victims.
Attorneys
did not delve into the charges on Wednesday, with the prosecutor, Yolo County
Deputy District Attorney Garrett Hamilton, asking that a Grand Jury transcript
in the case remain sealed. Superior Court Commissioner Janene Beronio agreed.
The
Grand Jury was convened over the weekend following a five-month investigation
into Alvarez. According to West Sacramento police, one victim told another
officer that she had been assaulted, sparking the investigation.
Alvarez
was put on administrative leave while investigators looked into the case. The
Sacramento Police Department helped in the investigation. Alvarez was a patrol
officer working alone during the night shift when the alleged assaults
occurred. His victims were all said to be in the West Capitol Avenue area and
are between the ages of 20 and 47.
According
to police, some of the alleged assaults occurred in Alvarez's patrol car. Others
occurred at an undisclosed location.
On
Monday, Alvarez was fired and arrested, according to West Sacramento police
Chief Dan Drummond. He remains in custody at Yolo County Jail.
In
court Wednesday, the defendant was represented by Erin Dervin of Mastagni,
Holstedt, a Sacramento-based law firm that represented Alvarez in labor-law
issues connected to his administrative leave. It was not clear whether the same
firm would continue to represent Alvarez for his criminal case.
Dervin
refused to comment on the case Wednesday. Hamilton also wouldn't comment, and
Chief Deputy District Attorney Jonathan Raven said prosecutors were
"ethically precluded from commenting on anything regarding the case."
Alvarez is scheduled to return to court on March 7 for a review of his bail and
to enter a plea.