TAMPA, Fla. — A former Tampa Police Officer who faced a charge of sexual battery until those charges were dropped last week, spoke publicly Tuesday about how the "bogus" case destroyed his family's life, and how he wants his old job back.
- Adam York charged with sexual battery in 2016
- Alleged victim in case changed her story three times, according to York's attorney
- Charges dropped less than 2 weeks before trial set to start
- More Hillsborough County stories
For two years, former Tampa Police Officer Adam York said he could not get a job with the 2016 charge of sexual battery hanging over his head. Speaking to media along with his lawyer, York said he borrowed from his father's life savings to help pay for an attorney to clear his name, part of the toll the experience has had on his family.
"They've taken everything from me," York said through tears Tuesday. "They've taken my kids' college, they've wiped us out."
Investigation "atrocious"
Hillsborough State Attorney Andrew Warren dropped the sexual battery charge against York on Friday, two weeks before the case was set to go to trial.
York's attorney, Richard Escobar, called the Tampa Police Department investigation "atrocious."
"It doesn't give me any joy to say that our Tampa Police Department did an absolutely atrocious job in investigating this case," Escobar said.
It all started in 2016 when York pulled over a woman for speeding. That woman later accused York of telling her to pull her pants down and touching her.
York's DNA was found on that woman's underwear.
Explaining the 'set-up'
Escobar's lawyer, however, argued that the woman set-up York by rubbing her drivers license on her underwear to transfer the touch DNA.
He also pointed out that the woman's story changed three times during the investigation. He wants the department to give York his job back.
"I hold my children every night thinking you get one crazy jury and I'm never seeing them again," York said. "Thirty-five years. They tried to put me away for 35 years. There's no getting that back."
Escobar also pointed out other issues with the department's investigation. He said a Tampa Police deputy chief told investigators York never called in the traffic stop. However, records showed he radioed in the stop twice.
Also, an investigator did not want to audio record the accuser's statement — that way, if her statement later changed there would be no record. A lead detective, however, overrode that decision.
In a statement, Tampa Police Chief Brian Dugan said his agency still stands by its investigation.
Dugan said York's response to the allegations was contradicted by DNA evidence, and that York was fired due to "untruthfulness" and not maintaining the agency's expected code of conduct.