KENNEWICK, Wash. – Former Yakima Police Officer Elias Huizar appeared before a judge in court Thursday. His lawyer put in a not-guilty plea on his behalf.
The prosecution issued no contact orders to Huizar for the teenagers -named as victims in court documents for this case. No contact orders were also issued for any minor under the age of 16.
The judge and prosecution explained to Huizar that he won’t be allowed to attempt to contact or be within 1,000 feet of their schools, homes, workplaces or areas with children’s activities.
“That no contact with minors would include his child at this time,” Prosecuting Attorney Anita Petra said.
The Yakima police department said Huizar worked as a police officer for almost nine years; from June 2013, until February 2022.
Court documents say officers were made aware of a possible sexual assault by Huizar of a teenager while she was sleeping in Huizar’s home on February 3, 2024.
The act was witnessed and reported by another teenager according to those documents.
The docs say law enforcement then went to Huizar’s home and he refused to come out. Swat was called in and after two hours he was arrested.
The documents go on to say when officers went into the house it appeared Huizar was cleaning the sheets one of the teenagers was sleeping on.
Documents also say Huizar met one of the victims when she was 15 and a relationship formed.
They say she became pregnant with Huizar’s child and gave birth at 16 years old.
For now, the trial date has been set for April 22, 2024, with a pre-trial date on April 4, 2024.
