A Fontana police officer has been arrested and placed on paid leave after being accused of sexually assaulting a teenager before he joined the department, according to the Fontana Herald News and The Press-Enterprise.
Nicholas Stark, 28, was booked Thursday on suspicion of rape of a drugged victim, according to the San Bernardino County booking website. The alleged victim was 16 at the time of the incident, which is said to have happened about four years ago. He was released on $250,000 bail. A response from Stark or an attorney for him was not included in the reports. He has not been convicted.
Police Chief William Green said in a statement that the department learned of the accusation when a captain saw a social media post by the alleged victim. Green asked the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department to run an independent investigation. The department’s review found that the alleged crime took place before Stark was hired, even though new officers go through a background check that takes several months.
Green said California law prevents him from firing Stark right away, and he promised to end his employment as quickly as the law allows. He also said the accusation calls the department’s character into question and committed to repairing the damage.
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