San Jose Officer Suspended After Allegations of Masturbating in Front of Family and Sexual Battery

San Jose Police Officer Matthew Dominguez has been suspended after being charged by the Santa Clara District Attorney's Office with indecent exposure, sexual battery, and allegedly groping two women, according to a tweet by KTVU journalist Henry K. Lee.

Earlier in July, NBC Bay Area's Investigative Unit reported that Dominguez faced new sexual battery charges in addition to the initial indecent exposure charge. The accusations stem from a May incident, where Dominguez allegedly masturbated in front of a family during a service call inside their home. Court records show that the officer is also accused of groping two women in separate incidents last year.

One woman, who asked not to be identified, told NBC Bay Area that Dominguez inappropriately touched her during a December traffic stop, while another woman, Jennifer Rodrigues, claimed the officer groped her at a party inside another police officer's home in May 2021.

The Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office has since charged Dominguez with misdemeanor sexual battery for both incidents, with one charge added in late May and another earlier this month.

In a statement, San Jose Police Chief Anthony Mata expressed zero tolerance for behavior that does not align with the values of the department and pledged accountability for employees who cross the line. Following the initial indecent exposure charge, the department released a video in May of Mata walking Dominguez off the job.

Legal analyst Steven Clark, as cited by NBC Bay Area, mentioned that the mounting allegations against Dominguez could impact any criminal cases he was involved in as an officer, as credibility is crucial. Dominguez is among a growing list of San Jose police officers facing serious misconduct allegations. After these events surfaced, San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo proposed random drug and alcohol testing for all officers.