Houston police officer accused of raping a handcuffed woman in the back of his patrol car pleaded guilty Tuesday to attempted sexual assault in exchange for 10 years in prison.
Adan Carranza, 33, was taken in to custody after a brief hearing in front of state District Judge Ruben Guerrero.
"He has accepted responsibility," his attorney Rocket Rosen said after the plea. "This was obviously a major, major lapse in judgment."
Carranza worked for HPD for three years before the attack on June 18, 2012.
Prosecutors said the Carranza responded to a fender bender on Dairy Ashford. He handcuffed one of the drivers and put her in the back of his patrol car, then waited for the other drivers to leave.
After the two were alone, the woman said he raped her in the backseat while in uniform and wearing his gunbelt, according to court records. He then took her to jail for reckless driving. Investigators said DNA and video evidence confirmed the woman's story.
Rosen said he was hopeful his client will be paroled in two to three years. Carranza could also be freed after six months if the judge agrees to "shock probation," which is sometimes used to scare first offenders straight without making them serve their entire sentence.
When he is released, Carranza will be barred from having a peace officer's license in Texas for life. He will also have to register as a sex offender for the next 20 years.
"In this case, we felt the interest of justice was served by the 10 year sentence," said Assistant Harris County District Attorney Heyward Carter.