By Nathan Gonzalez
Arizona Republic
MESA, Ariz. — A former Mesa police officer arrested on suspicion of sexual misconduct with a child has been indicted on charges involving two children.
Justin Bowman, 28, was served Wednesday with a 12-count indictment charging him with committing sexual conduct with a minor, a Class 2 felony enhanced as a first-degree dangerous crime against a child.
The indictments against Bowman, of Maricopa, were handed up by a Pinal County grand jury.
Bowman resigned Sept. 18 from the Mesa Police Department over issues unrelated to the indictment filed Nov. 6 in Pinal County Superior Court. Each charge carries a possible sentence of 10 to 25 years in prison.
The victims, a boy and girl both younger than 15, told police Bowman had sex with them and performed other sexual acts with them, according to the indictment.
The boy told police of four incidents between June 1 and Oct. 29. The girl alleged eight occasions between Sept. 15 and Oct. 29.
Some of the events occurred inside Bowman’s vehicle, garage and aboard a boat, according to the indictment.
Bowman was arrested Oct. 29 at his home after his wife called police, saying he was threatening to kill himself, Sgt. Steve Judd said.
While at the residence in the 45000 block of West Cowpath Drive, police were told of the suspected abuse. Police later returned with a search warrant and took Bowman’s cellphone, a computer and other items.
In his resignation letter, Bowman, who joined the Mesa department July 25, 2005, offers no reasoning for his decision to quit.
But internal police documents show he was facing discipline for a number of issues from failing to turn in required logs and paperwork to failing to show up for duty in March.
In November 2006, he received a verbal reprimand for causing a vehicle accident while on duty. The incident caused $1,100 in damage to his police car. At the time of his resignation, Bowman faced three written and two verbal reprimands, and three 10-hour suspensions, according to police records.
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