Photo: Los Angeles Police Department
LOS ANGELES (CNS) - A former Los Angeles Police Department officer is scheduled to be arraigned Tuesday on charges of committing lewd acts on four young boys, and sheriff's officials put out a call for any possible additional victims to come forward.
Paul Razo, 46, was arrested Wednesday, five days after he was charged by prosecutors with eight counts of lewd acts on a child, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.
Razo was scheduled to appear in court Monday, but his arraignment was delayed until Tuesday. He remains jailed in lieu of $2.5 million bail.
According to the District Attorney's Office, Razo allegedly committed the lewd acts at his home, where sheriff's officials said was in the 4800 block of Brightview Drive in the Covina area. Prosecutors said two of the alleged victims are related to Razo, while two others are related to a woman Razo dated.
The children ranged in age from roughly 9 to 13 years old when the alleged abuse began, prosecutors said. The alleged crimes occurred between 2006 and 2017, according to the District Attorney's Office.
"The allegations of sexual abuse against vulnerable children in this case are deeply disturbing and it's particularly troubling that the defendant was a law enforcement officer at the time," District Attorney George Gascón said in a statement.
"Childhood sexual abuse causes immeasurable harm and our hearts go out to the victims who were victimized by someone they trusted. We will do everything in our power to ensure that they have access to the support and resources they need to heal. Sexual abuse of any kind is a heinous crime and we will not tolerate it in our community."
The LAPD released a statement on Tuesday morning.
"The Los Angeles Police Department is aware of the criminal case involving former Police Officer Paul Razo. The Los Angeles Police Department's Internal Affairs Division initiated an administrative investigation, which is being conducted simultaneously with the pending criminal case. The administrative investigation will include reviewing his past work history for similar behavior," the LAPD statement said.
"Chief Michel Moore is deeply disturbed by these allegations as they are in direct opposition to the Department's Core Values and expectations of a Los Angeles Police Officer. Officer Razo has been employed by the Los Angeles Police Department for approximately 24 years and was last assigned to Hollywood Area as a training coordinator. He separated from the Department in March 2023," the LAPD statement said.
"On May 5, 2023, the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office filed eight counts of lewd acts with a child against Razo and he is currently in custody. The Department is fully cooperating with the District Attorney's Office and the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department*s investigation relating to Razo's alleged criminal conduct," the LAPD statement said.
In an earlier statement, sheriff's officials said, "Based on the nature of the allegations and Mr. Razo's access to children, detectives believe there may be additional unidentified victims."
Sheriff's officials asked anyone with information or who believes they may have been victimized to contact the Special Victims Bureau at 877-710- 5273 or specialvictimsbureau@lasd.org. Anonymous tips can be made through Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS (8477).
In 2018, Razo received an LAPD Medal of Valor for pulling a man out of a burning car that he saw crash in July 2016 in Glendora while off-duty.