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Santa Maria police officer admitted illicit relationship

February 8, 2012

Albert Covarrubias Jr.

At a contentious Santa Maria City Council meeting, the police chief said prior to the shooting death of Officer Albert Covarrubias Jr., the department taped the officer admitting he had sexual contact with a 17-year-old girl. [KSBY]

On Tuesday night, attendees packed the council chambers and voiced concerns about department policies and leadership.
Almost two weeks ago, an officer shot and killed Covarrubias while he worked a DUI checkpoint on Broadway. Covarrubias had fired his weapon at officers attempting to arrest him.

The day before, police officials discovered the 29-year-old officer had been allegedly having sexual contact with a minor. In a taped phone conversation with the minor, Covarrubias admitted the relationship, threatened the girl not to tell and said he was going to harm himself, police said.

“We knew that he made statements that he was going to hurt himself”, Macagni said. “We had an obligation to do it (arrest him) at that time.”


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Statutory Rape Laws have good basis although each state draws the line differently on the age. A child (especially female – due to child birth) has not lived the years to experience or is mature enough to realize consequences. Example is a 15 year old having an un-wed sexual affair with a 45 year old differs with a 25 year old having an un-wed affair with a 55 year old.

Its an unfair or even predatoral advantage.


If was into a serious relation with this girl, he should have divorsed, then taken the 17 year old (if fully willing) and married her (out of state where legal).

He would be alive and maybe still have his job if he did (married to an emancipated minor).


If he was not serious, then his proud career is finished, with the possiblity of inmate attack facing both he being a former cop and child predator can occur in incarceration.


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Indeed, the man should have done just as you state. But………a perfect storm blew into Santa Maria and those in charge did what they did.


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It may have went down legally, but not wisely. The defense will have no problem persuading a jury of that.


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Media vs. Real time, real life. The bottom line is this…


Officer Covarrubias knew in his heart that he had made a huge mistake in having a sexual liasion with an under age explorer scout. As an LEO, he made a sworn commitment to uphold the LAW, and to execute such to the best of his abilities. He FAILED. Pure and simple.


While I have reservations about how this episode was handled, I have no doubt that he had made up his mind [knowing that he was under investigation], that he was either going to be shamed and sent to prison, or better yet, commit suicide by cop. Therefore, saving his family and friends the embarassment, and creating a legal ending.


What has happened to “personal responsibility?”


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“Saving his family and friends the embarassment…” because his choice of action had no effect on those family and friends saved from embarassment?


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One of the first articles published about the Covarrubias suicide-by-cop mentioned that while talking to the 17 yo via his cel he admitted having sex with her.


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“We knew that he made statements that he was going to hurt himself”, Macagni said.


Officer Albert Covarrubias Jr. didn’t have time to harm himself. His own team did it for him. RIP


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How is Covarrubias the victim here? If everything is true, he pulled his weapon and fired it at offices trying to arrest him. The arresting officers took the correct and difficult actions. He put all of this on himself.


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More focus on the article and less focus on other users remarks in other threads

What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas. capiche?

or get your own blog focused on the personalities who post here, I will totally subscribe to your newsletter. BUT EVERYONE has a severe case typo-thermia

a quarantine may be forthcoming.


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I behaved this time!


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I watched the Chief on TV last night. There is something else there. It is in his voice and expression. my guess is that the girl got knocked up. Just a guess, but something else is going on. Time will tell. Very sad state of affairs for everyone, but this deceased Officer brought it all upon himself. He had choices, he made alot of the wrong ones.


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“On Tuesday night, attendees packed the council chambers and voiced concerns about department policies and leadership.”


Were they wearing red? {giggle}


At this point I don’t see where the depts actions were wrong.


It sounds like my hunch of suicide by cop might have been right. It sounds like he wanted to die. What a selfish b@$*ard.


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And your mean-spirited comments are helping how?


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I think her comments show that SMPD, acting under orders from the chief, acted appropriately.


I agree with her, and I agree with the chief’s decision.


The officer presented a clear danger to himself and others, and needed to be contained in that moment.


SMPD reacted to a crazy situation as it unfolded and were absolutely justified in their use of force. Further, the chief was absolutely justified in issuing the arrest warrant at that moment to get the potentially deadly officer out of the public before he harmed others.


I think that’s what Typo means in her mean-spirited way. Do you see it somehow differently?


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What was so mean?


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Tongue in cheek comment, but not “mean”.


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Maybe she doesn’t have all the facts, but the salient ones for her opinion include:


1) Personal gratification through child molestation.

2) Threats of harm to the child if she told.

3) Pulling his service revolver on a fellow officer.

3a) The fellow officer who happened to be the best man at his wedding three weeks prior.


I am sorry the guy died, and it’s not for me to call him a “selfish b@$*ard”, but give me some evidence to the contrary.


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racket,


Child molestation? The girl is 17 years old, and barring the fact that she may be close to being 18, it is a far stretch to call a 17+ year old girl, a “child”.


In common law, child molestation is a crime involving a range of indecent or sexual activities between an adult and a child, usually under the age of 14.


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In California, statutory rape occurs with minors under the age of 18 and not within 3 years of age to each other.


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