Rights Violated, Reputation Destroyed: Former OKC Police Officer Suing After Being Acquitted For Sexual Assault

A fired Oklahoma City police officer who was acquitted of domestic and sexual abuse charges two years ago has filed a federal lawsuit. 

Luis Maldonado said his civil rights were violated and his reputation was destroyed. Despite the acquittal and charges dismissed in another domestic abuse case, the former officer said he is treated like a criminal.

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4. Oklahoma County Prosecutors Dismiss Abuse, Sex Crime Charges Against Former OCPD Officer

“I know for a fact my civil rights have been violated,” Maldonado said.

In a handwritten federal complaint filed this month, Maldonado named former Oklahoma County District Attorney David Prater, the Oklahoma City Chief of Police, investigators and accusers in the lawsuit. Maldonado seeks to be compensated $27,000,000.

“I was thinking they have to pay me for the loss wages of my job, the loss relationships with the community and my family,” Maldonado said. “I lost my kids.”

Maldonado spent three years in the Oklahoma County Detention Center fighting two domestic and sexual abuse cases. 

News 9 was in the courtroom in 2021 when a jury acquitted him of six charges. Maldonado’s then girlfriend accused him of domestic abuse and sexual assault. Weeks later, Maldonado was arrested on accusations of rape and domestic abuse. Prosecutors dismissed those charges.

Despite winning two cases Maldonado wears an ankle monitor.

“Through civil laws I’m still an inmate,” Maldonado said. “I have to wear an ankle monitor based on civil statute. You need probable cause to put this on people.”

The former officer admitted he was still angry.

“It’s a human response you cannot be dragged through the mud,” Maldonado said. “Destroy your life and don’t have feelings of anger.”

That feeling is now mixed with relief. 

“I have tried to go through the process of a lawsuit so I can be heard,” Maldonado said.

The ankle monitor Maldonado wears was a condition of a victim’s protective order granted to the second accuser even though the charges in that case were dropped.