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The Denver Postdenverpost.comPosted: 12/18/2012 07:08:20 PM MSTDecember 19, 2012 2:20 AM GMTUpdated: 12/18/2012 07:20:45 PM MST
Denver cop Hector Paez grasped his forehead and quietly muttered "I don't understand" as he stared at the 12 men and women who who had just convicted him Tuesday evening of felony rape and kidnapping.
His wife, and the mother of their four children, collapsed into tears.
It had been more than two weeks of trial and more than two years since Paez was first accused of arresting a woman, driving her to a secluded spot in a deserted warehouse district and coercing her into oral sex.
The rape case — a test of credibility — put the dishonest cop up against an accuser with a checkered history that includes heroin abuse and a prostitution conviction.
Jurors deliberated for less than a day before reaching the verdict that will end Paez' career as a Denver police officer and could land him in prison for up to life.
Chief Deputy District Attorney Doug Jackson said isn't always easy to fire errant officers, let alone convict them in criminal court.
"Jurors want to believe cops are good guys, and most are," Jackson said. "This is a good day for the Denver Police Department. There are a lot of good, hard working cops in that department, and now they can get rid of Officer Paez."
The 33-year-old Paez, who was cuffed and taken into custody, will remain in jail until a status hearing Thursday. At that point, District Court Judge John Madden will decide whether he can remain free on bond until he's sentenced.
The victim said Tuesday evening that she plans to ask Madden to keep Paez locked up, saying he threatened her during the May 16, 2010 assault and also stared her down as she testified.
The verdict was an emotional moment for her, too, she said.
"I was so overwhelmed. I just fell down to my knees, thanked God and I cried," she said. "I've been called a liar. This just justified everything."
Paez could face as little as probation for the felony charges. The rape carries a penalty of up to life in prison and the kidnapping up to 24 years in prison. He was also convicted of the misdemeanor charge of providing false information to authorities.
"We're both surprised and disappointed," said defense attorney Gary Lozow. "Hopefully an appeals court will get it right."
He argued during trial that Paez kept the woman in his car to gather intelligence on her heroin dealer and drove to an out-of-the-way spot so she wouldn't be spotted by her pimp.
The woman testified she was meeting her now fiance — not a pimp — at the lightrail station where she first encountered Paez.
Jurors filed out Tuesday without comment on what evidence they found most compelling.
Jackson and internal affairs Sgt. Jaime Lucero lined up GPS tracking data from Paez' patrol car, calls that the woman overheard on his car radio following the assault and accounts from other officers to piece together Paez' actions that day.
Paez' case was plagued by delays — the biggest coming in September 2011 when evidence misplaced by investigators surfaced and prompted a mistrial.
Throughout the life of the case, Paez' wife, brother and other family members have dutifully attended hearings.
But on Tuesday, some in tears, they declined to comment on the conviction as they filed out of the courtroom.
Jessica Fender: 303-954-1244 , jfender
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