Nearly two years after he was arrested, a former Chino Police Department sergeant pleaded no contest to committing a sex crime against a 16-year-old girl, authorities said Wednesday.
Jason Bemowski, a 16-year veteran of the department, entered the plea Tuesday for a felony count of unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor, according to police. The crime occurred at a home in Redlands while he was off-duty, and Chino police arrested him on March 7, 2019.
Roseville police said Bemowski’s crime was uncovered during a human trafficking investigation that also led to the arrest of 26-year-old Anthony Harrison on suspicion of pimping and pandering and human trafficking. At the time, Roseville police said Harrison was being held on $1 million bail.
Meanwhile, Bemowski was freed from jail on bail, and the Chino Police Department placed him on on paid administrative leave in the days following, the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin reported.
Chino police said Bemowski was fired sometime later in 2019 although it’s not clear exactly when. The department has said it launched an internal investigation into the allegations.
Bemowski had volunteered with the Chino Police Department’s Explorer program, which offers law enforcement training to 14-to-20-year-olds, according to the Daily Bulletin. Within a day of his arrest, the agency reached out to children who have taken part in the program.
In a news release, the department said it has shown its “commitment to accountability during this unique situation,” referring to the former sergeant’s arrest.
A message was left with the department seeking further comment on the details of Bemowski’s departure, including whether he was released with pay.
He is scheduled to be sentenced April 27 in San Bernardino County Superior Court.
The human trafficking investigation was a joint effort between Redlands and Roseville police.