The Associated Press
HOUSTON (AP) -- A veteran Houston police officer has been accused of allowing a shoplifting suspect at a Heights area grocery store to go free in exchange for sex, Harris County officials reported.
Officer Lance William Elliott, 34, was charged Tuesday with three counts of improper sexual activity with a person in custody and one count of tampering with a government record.
Elliott, of Alvin, was released from jail Wednesday on $8,000 bond, the Houston Chronicle reported in its online edition Wednesday.
A Houston Police Department spokesman declined comment, but he did confirm Elliott was an officer on the force.
Elliott’s attorney Aaron Suder also declined to comment, but said Elliott has no significant black marks on his police department disciplinary file.
Elliott is accused of having sex with a woman he picked up for allegedly shoplifting from a supermarket Sept. 17.
Court documents said Elliott parked behind a warehouse instead of taking the shoplifting suspect to jail.
“She talked to Elliott about releasing her and his response was, `What’s in it for me?’ ” the document stated.
The woman told investigators that Elliott removed her handcuffs and she performed oral sex on him and had intercourse with him, according to the documents. After having sexual intercourse, the woman said in a sworn affidavit that Elliott dropped her off at a friend’s house.
Elliott appears in court Jan. 20, Suder said.