Former Cleveland police officer retired after being accused of paying a minor for sex. Officer Mario Lozada supposedly paid a fifteen-year-old girl for sex and had nude photos of a seventeen-year-old on his phone. A twenty-one count indictment was given by a Cuyahoga County grand jury detailing the charges against Lozada. The charges include unlawful sexual conduct with minor, compelling prostitution, unauthorized use of a law enforcement database and child pornography charges.

On November 14, Lozada was arrested during a traffic stop. He was pulled over by the Garfield Police who saw the fifteen-year-old girl in the car with him. Lozada’s Cleveland police uniform, badge, and gun were in the backseat of the vehicle at the time of the arrest. Shortly after his arrest Officer Mario Lozada retired from the Cleveland Police.

After the arrest, Cleveland police’s internal affairs detectives continued investigating the case. They found that not only did Lozada pay the young girl for sex, he also gave her alcohol. He first started interacting with her when she was only fourteen-years-old. Their encounters occurred during a five-month time span from July to November. Lozada is accused of filming at least one of the encounters with the minor. When police searched his phone they found that he solicited and received four nude photos of a 17-year-old girl between November 2017 and January 2018.

Mario Lozada is on GPS-monitored house arrest after posting 10 percent of a $75,000 bond. He submitted a plea of not guilty and is scheduled to appear at an arraignment hearing on April 9th.

Lakewood High School senior, Sofia Dunay was asked about her thoughts on Lozada’s actions. She said, “I think it is absolutely terrifying that an authority figure such as a cop took advantage of multiple underage girls.”