Pueblo Police Officer Facing Sexual Assault Charges

PUEBLO, Colo. (AP) - A Pueblo police officer is facing charges of sexual assault after a woman told police he assaulted her after she called for help in a domestic violence case on Thursday.

A police affidavit says Cpl. Benjamin Candelaria and several other officers interviewed the woman, then left. Authorities say Candelaria returned to fill out paperwork.

Later, the unidentified woman went to the hospital and said she had been sexually assaulted. Authorities say the officer's body camera showed him having a sexual conversation with the woman, and then the body camera was turned off.

Authorities say the 48-year-old officer later admitted he had contact with the woman.

Candelaria was assigned a public defender, who is not identified in court records. The officer has been placed on leave.

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