Former Detroit Officer Gets Probation After No-Contest Plea Over Theft of Nude Images
The sentence prompted a $15 million civil suit, raising concern about where the stolen images may surface.
Overview
- Deron Martez Crawford pleaded no contest on May 6 to misconduct in office and was sentenced to two years of probation with the final six months to be served in Wayne County Jail.
- Prosecutors say Crawford took explicit photos and videos from 22-year-old Samantha Thomason’s phone during a March 3 traffic stop after being given the device to call the woman’s mother.
- Two electronic-crime counts were dismissed as part of the plea deal, and Crawford resigned from the Detroit Police Department before sentencing.
- The sentence requires a psychological evaluation, 50 hours of community service, impulse-control training, steady employment, and no contact with the victim.
- Thomason delivered an impact statement, called the sentence insufficient, and filed a $15 million lawsuit against Crawford, another officer, and the City of Detroit while prosecutors warn the images could still be circulated.