An off‑duty Modesto police officer spent part of his weekend under arrest in Tuolumne County after an alleged domestic violence incident, authorities said. The case has now triggered a criminal probe by Tuolumne County deputies along with an internal administrative review at the Modesto Police Department.
What happened
The Tuolumne County Sheriff’s Office said deputies arrested Officer Solomon Foketi on multiple counts, including assault with a deadly weapon, criminal threats, false imprisonment and a misdemeanor domestic‑violence charge. According to the sheriff’s office, the alleged incident took place in March, and an independent criminal investigation was launched after Modesto police passed along information to Tuolumne County investigators, as reported by CBS Sacramento.
Investigation and department response
Modesto police said they became aware of the alleged off‑duty incident and confirmed that Foketi has been placed on paid administrative leave while both the criminal case and an internal administrative review move forward. “Any allegation of criminal conduct involving a member of this department is a serious matter,” Modesto Chief Brandon Gillespie said, according to CBS Sacramento.
Officer's record
Public payroll data for 2024 lists Solomon Foketi as a Modesto police officer, according to Transparent California. The entry confirms his Modesto Police Department affiliation but does not disclose any personnel actions, which the department says will be handled through its internal processes.
Local policing context
The arrest lands in a department and region that are already under a microscope over officer conduct. In 2021, another off‑duty Modesto officer was arrested on domestic violence charges, a case that also triggered an internal review and extensive local reporting. Coverage of those past incidents has helped keep public attention on how law enforcement agencies police their own, as reported by KCRA.
Legal next steps
The counts listed in the arrest report, which include assault with a deadly weapon and criminal threats, are prosecutable under California law. False imprisonment can also carry significant penalties, while the misdemeanor domestic‑violence allegation may be handled differently depending on how prosecutors choose to charge the case. The Tuolumne County Sheriff’s Office will finish its criminal investigation and turn findings over to prosecutors, who will decide whether to file formal charges, while Modesto Police continue a separate administrative review. For the statutes cited in the arrest report, see California Penal Code §245 and §422.
