A former Kentucky police officer has been indicted on charges related to a sex crime, according to Kentucky State Police.
Aleph Zavala, 35, of Owensboro, is facing charges of first-degree sexual abuse, first-degree sodomy and first-degree strangulation, according to court records. KSP said Zavala is a former Owensboro police officer.
An investigation into sexual misconduct by Zavala began in December, according to KSP. Zavala allegedly sexually assaulted a homeless woman who was the subject of a previous burglary investigation.
On Dec. 9 officers were dispatched to a U-Haul storage facility on W. Parrish Avenue in Owensboro for a report of a burglary and found a homeless woman living in one of the storage units, according to KSP. The woman had permission to live in the unit from the business owner.
After the officers left the scene, Zavala allegedly returned to the storage unit and sexually assaulted the woman, KSP said.
Zavala was arrested and lodged in the Daviess County Detention Center, KSP said. The indictment was handed down Tuesday.
Zavala was also charged with possession of marijuana after officers found a small bag of marijuana in Zavala’s pocket while officers served the indictment warrant, according to court records.
Zavala is being held on a $100,000 bond, according to court records.