SAN ANTONIO – Two former San Antonio police officer found guilty on sex charges in an elaborate criminal scheme took the stand in the punishment phase of their trial Monday.
It took the jury less than five hours to hand down the sentence for the former SAPD officers.
Alejandro Chapa and Emmanuel Galindo were convicted last week of sexual assault, promotion of prostitution and official oppression.
Both men on Monday were brought to tears as they told their side of the story, apologizing to their victims and asking the jury for mercy.
Chapa broke down in tears several times while on the stand. He and Galindo were found guilty of participating in a bogus undercover operation in which they lured women to have sex with them.
“I got told it was extra side work for another agency having nothing to do with SAPD,” Chapa said. “As far as I knew, sex had nothing to do with it.”
Before his testimony, Chapa appeared to mouth the words “I’m sorry.”
“I’m sorry. I’m sorry anything happened to you. I’m sorry you got hurt. I’m sorry about this ordeal,” Chapa said.
Galindo testified that he never sexually assaulted the women.
“We never forced anybody to do anything,” he said. “Throughout the whole experience, we asked them, ‘You can stop. Do you want to stop?’ And they always said no.”
Both men were brought to tears on the stand when asked about their children.
“I feel like I let everybody down. This is not who I am. And the way the prosecution is making it seem, it’s somebody I’m not,” Galindo said. “I ask you to have mercy on me."
The jury came back with the former officers sentences Monday night. Chapa received six year behind bars and Galindo will spend 10 years behind bars.
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