After five months and 13 different complaints, a Oklahoma City police officer is standing trial after allegedly sexually assaulting the women while on the job, ABC News reported.
Daniel Holtzclaw had an extra four sexual assault charges filed against him during a two-day preliminary hearing, making the total number of charges 36. The charges include six counts of first-degree rape, carrying a maximum of life in prison, as well as forcible oral sodomy, indecent exposure and sexual battery.
The 27-year-old officer pleaded not guilty to all of his charges. Judge Fred Doak allowed Holtzclaw to remain out of jail on a $609,000 bail. He will be in court for pretrial proceedings on Jan. 21.
The 13 victims gave harrowing testimonies about the sex acts they were pressured and intimidated into doing despite not wanting to, according to the Press Herald.
"It was either that or the county jail," a 38-year-old woman said Tuesday of being forced to engage in sex acts with the man. Those who have made allegations of sexual assault are not named in publication.
A separate woman said she was forced to have sex with, and expose herself to, Holtzclaw in April.
"He was an officer. And I was scared. And I knew he could hurt me," she said.
When the trial was ordered, Holtzclaw remained straight-faced and remained silent as he left the courtroom.
The officer is listed as Asian or Pacific Islander in legal documents and all of the alleged victims are black. Police aren't sure if race played a factor in the alleged attacks.
"Who am I to a police officer? I didn't know what was going to happen next," said a 44-year-old woman through tears, who said she was made to perform oral sex and expose herself.
The first woman to accuse Holtzclaw came forward on June 18, prompting the police investigation. He was arrested in August, and none of the woman who testified had reported the incidents until detectives contacted them after starting an investigation.
Holtzclaw has been with the city force for three years and was initially accused of assaulting eight women. When other victims came forward, more charges were tacked on.
