Legal Claim: 3 S.F. Cops Sexually Exploited Richmond Teen

Yet another legal claim stemming from a widespread sexual exploitation scandal involving at least seven Bay Area law enforcement agencies seeks $18 million in damages from San Francisco to be awarded to "a teenage victim of statutory rape and sex trafficking."

The claim alleges three San Francisco police officers participated in the exploitation of Jasmine Abuslin, now 19. The officers were identified only by their initials: A.L., G.N. and R.D.

The claim -- a precursor to a lawsuit -- is the third to be filed in the case involving Abuslin. Her attorneys have filed similar claims in Oakland and Richmond seeking a combined $90 million from those cities.

They've said they plan to file other claims in Livermore as well as Contra Costa and Alameda counties.

The San Francisco claim recounts allegations that Abuslin was the victim of sex trafficking at the hands of police officers from Oakland, San Francisco and other jurisdictions. The document says she met Oakland police Officer Brendan O'Brien in an area of the city known for prostitution before she turned 18.

"Instead of providing her a way out of her exploitation, Officer O'Brien and his fellow officers and deputies, continued to traffic, rape, victimize and exploit a teenage girl who needed to be rescued," the claim says.

That account appears to conflict with statements from Alameda County District Attorney Nancy O'Malley, who said last month that her office's investigation found no evidence that Abuslin ever met O'Brien in person.

O'Brien killed himself in September 2015 and reportedly left a suicide note that led investigators to other officers in Oakland and other cities who cultivated relationships with Abuslin, trading confidential law enforcement information, gifts and sometimes cash in exchange for sex.

Investigations in Oakland and Richmond examined thousands of electronic communications, including text messages and social media, as they probed contact between officers and Abuslin. A KQED investigation of SFPD officers' personal Facebook accounts found more than two dozen current and former members of the force with some connection to the teenager.

In early September, Oakland moved to fire four officers and discipline seven others.

An internal investigation by Richmond police found no criminal wrongdoing, but the department announced discipline for nine officers.

O'Malley announced her plans last month to charge seven current and former law enforcement officers with crimes ranging from misdemeanors for failing to report a victim of child abuse to felony oral copulation with a minor and conspiracy to obstruct justice.

Civil rights attorney Pamela Price, who represents Abuslin, said last week that she had spoken with Contra Costa County prosecutors about the possibility of criminal charges in their jurisdiction, which includes Richmond.

"We haven't heard from San Francisco," she said, adding that she's hopeful prosecutors there will work with her to interview Abuslin and pursue criminal charges against at least the three officers specified in the claim.

Read the claim below:

View this document on Scribd