A former suburban St. Louis police officer admitted that over several months last year, he pulled over 20 women's vehicles and searched their phones for nude photos and videos.
In a deal with federal prosecutors entered Tuesday, former Florissant Officer Julian Alcala pleaded guilty to 20 counts of willfully depriving someone of their right to be free from unreasonable search and seizure. In exchange, prosecutors dropped a felony obstruction count.
The count he pleaded guilty to is punishable by up to a year in prison. Alcala, 30, remains free on bond pending his March 11 sentencing.
According to the plea deal, Alcala pulled over a woman in February 2024 and took her cellphone to his vehicle, saying he needed to do so to confirm her insurance information. Instead he found a video of the woman engaged in sexual activity on her phone and texted it to his own phone. He also found a nude photo of the woman and used his phone to take a picture of the image.
Over the next three months, he took 19 other women's phones back to his vehicle during traffic stops, purportedly to confirm their insurance or vehicle registration, the plea deal states. He then looked for nude images and took photos of ones he found.
He was caught after the first victim looked in her deleted texts and learned that the video of her engaged in sexual activity had been sent to an unknown number. She called the FBI, which traced the number to Alcala. The FBI then executed a search warrant and found the other nude photos, according to the plea agreement.
Alcala's attorney, Scott Rosenblum, didn't immediately respond to a Tuesday email seeking comment.
This image taken from video shows Julian Alcala leaving federal court in St. Louis, Friday, Nov. 25, 2024. (Dana Rieck/St. Louis Post-Dispatch via AP)
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Leon Draisaitl had four assists and became the fourth-fastest active player in NHL history to reach 1,000 career points as the Edmonton Oilers beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 6-4 on Tuesday night.
Draisaitl, who hit the milestone in the first period on a secondary assist, became the 103rd player in NHL history, first German-born player and fifth in franchise history to reach 1,000 points. He has 416 goals and 587 assists in 824 games for 1,003 points.
Connor McDavid scored twice, including a spectacular power-play goal and added two assists, as he and Draisaitl improved to 23-0-0 when both have at least three points in a regular-season game.
Evan Bouchard and Zach Hyman each added a power-play goal and an assist, while Matt Savoie and Vasily Podkolzin also scored for the Oilers, who have won six of their last nine.
Sidney Crosby had an assist for Pittsburgh and moved within one point of tying Mario Lemieux’s franchise record of 1,723 points.
Tommy Novak, Erik Karlsson, Bryan Rust and Danton Heinen scored for the Penguins, who dropped their sixth straight and failed to win at least once in a five-game homestand for the first time in team history.
For the first time in NHL history, goalies that were involved in the same trade faced one another within seven days of the deal. Tristan Jarry stopped 26 shots for his second win with Edmonton, and Stuart Skinner made 17 saves in his debut for Pittsburgh.
Justin Brazeau appeared to open the scoring for Pittsburgh at 7:55 of the first period, but the goal was overturned because of a coach’s challenge for offside.
Edmonton scored two power-play goals after three straight Pittsburgh penalties later in the period. The Oilers’ bench emptied to congratulate Draisaitl on his 1,000th NHL point after Hyman’s goal, and McDavid split Karlsson and Parker Wotherspoon with a spectacular power-play goal 14 seconds later.
Oilers: Travel to Boston on Thursday.
Penguins: Visit Ottawa on Thursday.
AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl
Edmonton Oilers goaltender Tristan Jarry blocks a shot by Pittsburgh Penguins' Rickard Rakell (67) during the second period of an NHL hockey game in Pittsburgh, Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
Edmonton Oilers goaltender Tristan Jarry acknowledges fans after a tribute to his time with the Pittsburgh Penguins during a first period timeout during an NHL hockey game against the Pittsburgh Penguins, in Pittsburgh, Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
Edmonton Oilers' Connor McDavid (97) has a shot blocked by Pittsburgh Penguins goalie Stuart Skinner (74) during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Pittsburgh, Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
Edmonton Oilers' Leon Draisaitl (29) celebrates with Zach Hyman (18) and Connor McDavid (97) after scoring during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Pittsburgh Penguins in Pittsburgh, Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
Pittsburgh Penguins' Sidney Crosby (87) defends against Edmonton Oilers' Connor McDavid during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Pittsburgh, Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
