Washington policeman's shamful searches of Asian women lands him on SO registry

Randy Howlett, 32, pled guilty to three counts of sexually motivated unlawful imprisonment for groping Asian women during traffic stops in Tacoma. The charges carry mandatory sex offender registration, and a possible sentence of 29 months in prison when Howlett is sentenced. Howlett is currently being held at the Pierce County jail.

The Tacoma News-Tribune has more, Former tribal officer pleads guilty to groping women:

Tribal Police spokesman John Wymer said Howlett resigned shortly after his arrest and confession to Tacoma police.

“The Puyallup tribe does not tolerate this behavior in any way shape or form,” he said.
Three women told police Howlett had pulled them over near Portland Avenue and Interstate 5. One said she had been handcuffed. All were released without being charged with a crime.

One of the victims told investigators that after pulling her over, Howlett told her he needed to check her for weapons, court records say. He then unzipped her jacket, pulled her shirt away from her body and shined his flashlight on her so he could see her breasts. He also looked down the front and back of her sweatpants. The woman told a friend, who claimed the same thing had happened to her twice, court records say.

All victims were Asian and Howlett told Tacoma police that “he likes Asian females and has fantasies about them,” the documents say. “He stated that he needed help.”
Although Howlett confessed to “peeking” at women two to three times a week for a year, media attention in 2006 did not lead any additional women to come forward beyond the three initial victims, [Prosecutor John]Sheeran said.

It is unknown when Howlett will be sentenced.