A former San Diego police officer sent to prison four years ago for sexually assaulting women during traffic stops in the Gaslamp District was released from custody over the weekend, authorities said Monday.
Anthony Arevalos, 45, was discharged from the Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility on Sunday, three days after being transferred to the Otay Mesa penitentiary from Avenal State Prison in Kings County, corrections Lt. Philip Bracamonte said.
Arevalos was convicted in November 2011 of eight felony and four misdemeanor charges involving five women, including multiple counts of sexual battery by restraint, soliciting a bribe and assault and battery by a peace officer. Three months later, he was sentenced to eight years and eight months in prison.
It was not immediately clear why the former lawman served less than half the prescribed custody term, though he had no disciplinary issues on his prison record, Bracamonte said.
Arevalos had been an officer with the San Diego Police Department for 18 years when he was fired over accusations that he had tried to extort sexual favors from female motorists and sexually assaulted three of them.
The purported reason for most of the traffic stops involved in the case was suspicion of drunken driving. The incidents occurred between September 2009 and March 2011.
During his sentencing hearing, the defendant, in a tearful and halting statement, apologized to the victims, his family and his police colleagues.
"I realize how many people I've hurt with what I've done," Arevalos said. "I just want to say I'm sorry to all I hurt."
