EPPD officer now faces sexual assault charges for attacks on 2 women; mugshot released

UPDATE, May 21: Theresa Caballero, the attorney for Abderrazak Boukhatmi, the El Paso police officer accused of sexually assaulting two women, issued the following statement to ABC-7:

"I was hired this week and have not had access to the police files yet. This is a serious accusation and we will be putting the State’s case to the test of fire. Can they prove the accusation beyond a reasonable doubt? That is the standard and we will put them to the challenge with all of our resources. It is imperative the public keeps this in mind and that my client receives a fair trial."

UPDATE, May 20: EL PASO, Texas — An El Paso police officer, who was arrested earlier this week for the alleged sexual assault of a 19-year-old woman while he was working an off-duty security job, has now been charged with a second sex assault, authorities announced Thursday evening.

Abderrazak Boukhatmi, 34, was arrested again and is now accused by a 27-year-old victim who says she was attacked by the officer last year when they met in-person after becoming acquainted online.

During that meeting last June, which took place at White Spur Park on Love Road, the officer is alleged to have forced the woman to perform oral sex on him. It's similar to the accusations leveled against him by the 19-year-old, who said he recently forced her to perform the sex act in a pool restroom at her west side apartment complex.

Investigators said the second victim came forward after seeing news reports about the officer's arrest earlier this week.

The latest sexual assault charge carries a $100,000 bond, officials said, which would be on top of the $45,000 bond he was given following the earlier arrest.

In addition, police on Thursday evening also released Boukhatmi's jail booking photograph (see above). In a statement from EPPD, officials offered the following explanation for why the release of the mugshot had been delayed...

"This individual's mug shot has not been released for one reason only, that is case sensitivity. In order to maintain the integrity of an on-going investigation it was necessary to withhold its release so that the case would not be tainted. Release of the mug shot would have tainted the case and been a disservice to any victim. We are now clear to release the mug shot and it will be posted."

UPDATE, May 19: A two-year veteran of the El Paso Police Department, who is charged with sexual assault after an encounter with a young woman in an apartment complex restroom, claims the sex was consensual.

That's according to an arrest affidavit in the case obtained by ABC-7 on Wednesday.

Authorities said 34-year-old Officer Abderrazak Boukhatmi was working off-duty Sunday night as a security guard at the Las Mansiones Apartments on Cimarron Square in west El Paso when the alleged attack took place.

Court documents allege Boukhatmi found a 19-year-old apartment resident after hours in a poolside restroom at the complex; he reportedly told the woman he would report her to complex management unless she performed oral sex on him.

The affidavit said the victim later reported the forced sexual encounter to police identified the officer from a photo line-up, leading to his arrest on Tuesday.

Investigators indicated in the documents that they questioned Boukhatmi, who is said to have told them that the encounter was consensual.

ORIGINAL REPORT, May 18: EL PASO, Texas — An El Paso police officer was arrested Tuesday on allegations that he sexually a 19-year-old woman in a restroom, authorities said.

34 –year-old Abderrazak Boukhatmi, who has been on the EPPD force for two years, is accused of forcing the victim to perform a sex act on Sunday night.

A police incident report said “Boukhatmi forced her to perform oral sex on him when Boukhatmi discovered the victim inside a pool restroom at the Las Mansiones Apartment complex after hours.”

Authorities said the officer was working off-duty as a security guard at the west side apartment complex at the time of the attack.

Boukhatmi has been relieved of his duties and was being held in the downtown jail on $45,000 bond, Chief Greg Allen said in a statement, calling the sexual assault charge against the officer “abhorrently shameful.”

Police didn’t release a mugshot of the arrested officer; a department spokesman said because the case was still under investigation that releasing the photo "could compromise the case." He didn't elaborate as to why.