‘Revenge Porn’ Strikes the LAPD

Ahhh the LAPD – your reputation will be forever flawed.

A scandal involving LA’s finest – the Los Angeles Police Department – was reported over the weekend. According to ABC *Action* News — and probably every other syndicated news outlet around — a detective in the LAPD has filed a temporary restraining order against a senior lead officer. The detective is accusing the lead officer of producing and/or distributing non-consensual sexual imagery, commonly referred to as “revenge porn.”

According to ABC News, the detective making the accusation has been identified as Ysabel Villegas, a detective with LAPD’s Robbery-Homicide Division. Villegas claimed in the restraining order that she had a romantic relationship with Officer Danny Reedy for five years.Villegas has alleged that, after their relationship ended, Reedy distributed explicit photos of her without her consent.

Villegas alleged that Reedy then circulated the pictures of her within the police department because he was angry that she broke up with him last August. Restraining order documents also include text messages allegedly sent by Reedy to Villegas. According to ABC News, one reads: “Retire now…I’ll make sure you do..you won’t be able to look anyone in the eyes soon.” [sic]

Michael Williams, Reedy’s attorney, has denied the allegations. Williams said Reedy never took photos of Villegas and does not know who distributed the images. Williams also said that Reedy did not have a long-term relationship with Villegas.

As for the photos themselves, Williams reportedly said, “Even if he did it — and I’m not saying he did — it’s academic anyway if one voluntarily participated in such photographs…”

“Academic”?

A court hearing on the restraining order is scheduled for January 15, 2019

In another bit of trivia, also reported by ABC News, Villegas is married to former LAPD Assistant Chief Jorge Villegas. According to ABC’s report, Chief Villegas retired suddenly earlier this year after a sex scandal involving a subordinate officer.

Scandal all around, clearly.

Image via Michal Zacharzewski.