A former police officer accused of kidnapping and sexually assaulting a woman has been sentenced to prison but was granted bond while he appeals the conviction.
Lynn Kimbrough with the district attorney’s office said Hector Paez, 33, was convicted of second-degree kidnapping, sexual assault and false reporting.
The assault happened in 2010.
“Chief Deputy District Attorney Doug Jackson prosecuted the case and argued during the sentencing hearing for a prison sentence to be imposed, citing the impact of this case on the victim as well as abuse of the public trust,” Kimbrough said in a statement.
Paez’s wife begged the Denver District Court Judge John Madden for only probation saying since he was a police officer going to prison is basically a death sentence. Paez himself also begged for leniency and said, “Why should I show remorse for something I didn’t do?”
Madden sentenced Paez to eight years in prison and he will be on sex-offender probation for a 10-year to life term.
“Over the objection of the prosecution, the judge then granted Paez a $100,000 bond while he appeals his conviction,” Kimbrough said.
According to the charges, Paez arrested Valerie Arend, 36, took her to an isolated location, and coerced her into performing a sexual act by threatening to take her to jail.
Arend didn’t think the sentencing was enough.
“I’m very upset. I don’t think that his sentence was just for his crime. He’s a police officer and he should have got a little tougher sentence because he is the law,” Arend to CBS4.
Paez was working as a patrol officer in District 4 at the time of the assault. He’s been with the Denver Police Department since 2006.
