Former Probation Officer: 'I Crossed The Line' Had Sex With Client
DENVER (CBS4)- A Colorado Springs woman who says her probation officer coerced her into having sex tells CBS4 "I felt like I couldn't say no."
Amy Bowers agreed to be identified and spoke to CBS4 saying that she hoped telling her story would help other women in similar situations come forward.
Bowers, 32, is a mother of two. She also has a lengthy criminal record and said most of her criminal problems stemmed from her addiction to methamphetamine. She said she is now clean and sober.
But in 2011, Bowers was on intensive supervised probation and was assigned to check in regularly with Colorado Springs probation officer Guy Cruz, a married father of five.
She said the relationship was initially professional although it became flirtatious.
"I had no intention of having an affair, no intention. It wasn't crossing my mind at that point," said Bowers.
She said she initially asked the veteran probation officers for several small favors, which he granted.
"He told me, 'You owe me, you owe me.' I will never forget those words. They make me cringe," said Bowers.
Cruz, who worked for the 4th Judicial District, did not return phone messages left by CBS4.
State judicial officials who oversee the probation department refused to discuss the case stating it was a "personnel matter."
But Bowers is now telling her story in public for the first time saying Cruz then showed up at her house one day early in the morning for a probation visit.
"In the kitchen we kissed. It was really an awkward situation," said Bowers. "I felt really pressured. I mentally checked out. I just checked out and got undressed and was ready to allow him to have sex with me. I just closed my eyes and did it."
Bowers said that was the first of several times she had sex with her probation officer.
Another time she said they met at a Colorado Springs motel just a few blocks from Cruz's office and had sex in the middle of Cruz's work day.
"I just wanted to please him and get him away from me. I thought I could handle it and I was wrong," said Bowers.
She said the unexpected relationship caused her to relapse and begin using methamphetamine again.
"Emotionally I felt like I was being raped every single time. He thought I wanted to be doing it but I didn't," said Bowers.
While Cruz has refused to discuss what happened CBS4 has obtained a videotaped Colorado Springs police department interview conducted with Cruz in which he admits to the affair.
"I'm ashamed for letting it get to the point I got caught," Cruz told the detective.
"I crossed the line, I couldn't get back," said Cruz, who sobbed several times during the interview.
Cruz was arrested and pleaded guilty to multiple charges including illegal sexual contact, official misconduct and tampering with physical evidence. He was fired from his job and was sentenced to five years' probation and must now register as a sex offender.
"She never said no but in return I could never say no to any demand that she wanted," said Cruz. "I'm the one who came to her house and is supervising her, I'm the one who is supervising and crossed the line. I'm the professional who was supposed to keep it together."
CBS4 has now learned that one of the key pieces of evidence against Cruz was a brief videotape of him naked in Bowers' bed.
Bowers said she shot the video when she realized nobody would ever believe her story.
"I was lucky to get the shots that I did. If I ever needed it I could prove I wasn't lying. I just knew this was going to come to an end because I felt it was his word against mine and I would lose," said Bowers.
Bowers said she fumbled with the video camera and wasn't really sure she had obtained incriminating video of Cruz until after the police investigation began and her videotape was confiscated.
Her lawyer Rick Bednarski said the video clip, along with several used condoms Bowers kept, helped prove the case against Cruz.
"It directly proved that as a probation officer he was having an inappropriate relationship which is not permitted," said Bednarski.
Of the video that proved crucial in the case, Amy Bowers said, "I think it saved my life."
She said she hopes coming forward now and recounting her experiences will set an example for other women in similar circumstances.
"Hopefully someone can see it's not so bad to come forward with it."
- Written by Brian Maass for CBSDenver.com
