India, Dec. 4 -- A former Missouri police officer has admitted to illegally searching the phones of 20 women during traffic stops, according to a December 2 press release from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Missouri. The misconduct occurred during the first half of 2024 and came to light after one victim discovered a sexually explicit video had been forwarded from her device.

Prosecutors said that Julian Alcala, 30, searched the women's phones "without a warrant or probable cause." Investigators found nude images of 19 victims in his phone and cloud storage, after the initial discovery.

Alcala pleaded guilty on Tuesday to 20 such misdemeanor counts. Each charge carries a penalty of up to one year in prison, a $10...