A Maryland sheriff who decided to fire and criminally charge one of his own deputies after an investigation into claims that he had raped a woman held in custody in a Kohl’s parking lot explained to the media how the post-defund-police era has forced law enforcement to “lower our standards” in hiring.
Following an internal investigation into an alleged October incident involving a 27-year-old victim identified in the affidavit only as “JA,” Steven Victor Abreu, 30, was discharged from the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office, and accused of second-degree rape, fourth-degree sexual offense, second-degree assault, false imprisonment, and sexual contact while a person is in law enforcement custody, as well as three counts of misconduct in office.
According to Wicomico County Sheriff Mike Lewis, six to seven more victims have come forward after Abreu’s arrest.
The intensity of these incidents ranges from Abreu allegedly speaking to women indecently during traffic stops and exchanging phone numbers to one encounter in which Abreu engaged in sexual activity with a lady.
