Friday, May 23, 2008

Woman claims Arizona deputy is sexual predator, files lawsuit

A Three Points woman has filed a lawsuit against Pima County Sheriff Clarence Dupnik, and an allegedly sexually predatory deputy.

According to the woman, Deputy Michael Boria sexually assaulted her after going to her home to talk about shots fired in the area last May.

According to the lawsuit, the Pima County Sheriff's Department insisted on speaking with the woman immediately following her call for help despite there being a conflict of interest. In addition, the lawsuit says Boria himself tried to respond to the woman's 911 call.

The lawsuit further alleges a fellow deputy recalls telling Boria: "We'll get all the facts. We'll, um, just trust us; we'll figure it out one way or another. Uh, we'll punch holes in her story or whatever."

Before filing the lawsuit, the woman tried to settle her dispute with the county by filing a claim asking for $1.6 million. In the claim letter, her attorney, Robert Truman Hungerford, alleged that deputies refused to allow the paramedics to treat her for two hours because they wanted to interrogate her first.

She was also questioned another four hours at the hospital before being examined, according to the claim letter. The claim letter further states that the case was turned over to the Tucson Police Department, but that detectives determined she was a "woman scorned."

Deputy Pima County Attorney Susan Eazer stated that no criminal charges were filed against Boria because of the low likelihood of conviction.

Michael Storie, said his client was innocent of all charges and that Boria, a three-year veteran of the Pima County Sheriff’s department. He said Boria resigned because sheriff’s deputies would always be the subject of false charges.

"This woman is trying to take innocent and appropriate on-duty conduct and turn it into a cash grab."

The Pima County Attorney's Office, which represents the Sheriff's Department, has a policy of not commenting on pending litigation.

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