A North Carolina state trooper who target Hispanic women, some of them illegal immigrants, for sexual battery at traffic stops has been sentenced to between 6 and 9 years in prison. Michael Steele was sentenced by Judge Allan Baddour, and asked for leinency before sentencing.
"I hope if it's in your pleasure, I have a chance to spend time with my family," he said.
Steele, 28, will now spend up to nine years in jail for 10 charges he pled guilty to last month. Those charges range from felonious restraint, to second-degree kidnapping, extortion, assault on a female and sexual battery.
It was August of last year that three Hispanic women claimed he pulled them over in separate traffic stops, touched and kissed them and threatened to kill their families or report them to immigration officials if they did not comply. Some of the victims were illegal immigrants.
"He used his position in a way I've never seen in the almost 18 years I've been a prosecutor," said Jim Woodall, Orange County District Attorney. "I've never seen an officer use his position in this way to target people he felt were powerless against him."
Woodall said this case has affected every member of the highway patrol and beyond.
"Law enforcement in general has been touched and every person who lives in this state who wants to trust law enforcement has been affected by this," he said.
Steele's attorney said his client took responsibility for his actions, has never been in trouble before and is remorseful.
After court, neither Steel's attorney or family had a comment.
According to prosecutors, Steele's prosecutors said that he will probably serve about 8 years.
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