A former California police officer is facing charges that he sexually assaulted multiple women — including a teenager.
Noah White Winchester, 32, a one-time member of the San Mateo Police Department, will stand trial for the sexual assault of five women while he was on duty. Winchester previously served as an officer with the Los Rios Community College District and the Sacramento Police Department.
According to SF Gate, the allegations state Winchester targeted two of the women – one of them a 17-year-old – while working for Los Rios. The other incidents occurred while he was working with the San Mateo Police Department. Winchester faces multiple life sentences for his charges, which include sexual assault and kidnapping.
A Stockton resident, the married father of two was arrested in July of 2016 on 22 counts of kidnapping, rape, and related charges, reports Sacramento Bee. None of the charges are connected to the time he worked with the Sacramento Police Department.
According to the Sacramento Bee, Winchester began his career with the Sacramento Police Department in 2006, but was “released from employment” in 2007 while he was still on probation. Winchester was then hired by the Los Rios Community College District. While there, the Sacramento Police Department began a sexual assault investigation of Winchester, but charges were not filed at that time in the case.
In early 2015, Winchester made a lateral move to the San Mateo Police Department. A second investigation began into Winchester later in 2015 regarding an alleged incident that took place in 2013, while he was employed by Los Rios.
San Mateo police became aware of criminal allegations against Winchester on October 20, 2015, and immediately placed him on indefinite leave. Winchester subsequently resigned.
Winchester pled not guilty during his initial arraignment last August.
According to the San Mateo Daily Journal, Winchester’s attorney, Michael Rains, is a criminal defense attorney known for representing police accused of misconduct, including former Bay Area Rapid Transit officer Johannes Mehserle who was found guilty of killing Oscar Grant in 2009.
Winchester will next appear in court May 5 for Superior Court arraignment. He remains in custody on $3.1 million bail.
Photo: San Mateo Police Department
