ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. (KTVI) – A couple from Missouri is suing the city of Florissant and a city police officer, alleging that the officer stole nude photos from the couple during a traffic stop earlier this year.
Attorney Richard Voytas Jr., of Voytas Law in St. Louis, filed the suit on behalf of his clients last week. The couple has been identified only as “Jane Doe” and John Doe” due to the nature of the case and concerns of retaliation, and the officer is identified as “Joe Smith” as his identity has not been made public.
The suit alleges that the officer conducted a traffic stop of Jane Doe in February 2024, claiming that Jane’s rear taillight was out. He asked if she had insurance, then directed her to pull up proof of insurance on her cell phone and unlock the device, according to the documents.
The officer allegedly took Jane’s phone back to his police vehicle and disconnected the phone from her car’s Bluetooth. The suit says the officer sat in his car for at least 10 minutes before returning the woman’s phone. He drove off without issuing Jane a ticket.
Investigators with the FBI contacted Jane Doe in July, asking her to identify a nude photograph of a woman who Jane recognized as herself, according to the lawsuit. She told investigators she only ever shared the photo with her husband, but federal authorities told Jane the image — and others — were found in the possession of the Florissant police officer who had pulled her over.
Officer Smith is accused of accessing Jane Doe’s private messages during the traffic stop after finding a pinned conversation between her and John Doe. The suit alleges the officer scrolled back years into the couple’s conversation and found nude pictures the two had exchanged, along with intimate messages.
The officer used his phone to take pictures of the couple’s intimate photos, which he then shared with others, which is how the FBI became aware of the officer’s actions, the lawsuit alleges.
Voytas and his clients believe the officer has committed the same crime against others in Florissant.
On Wednesday afternoon, the Florissant Police Department posted a message on its Facebook page acknowledging the lawsuit against the officer.
“We are deeply concerned by these allegations and want to assure the community that we take any claim of officer misconduct very seriously. The safety of everyone in our community remains our top priority,” the message reads in part. “We hold our employees to a high standard of integrity and expect them to treat every member of our community with dignity and respect.”
The Florissant Police Department added that the accused officer is no longer working for the city, “and there is no indication that any other member of the Florissant Police Department was involved in the alleged misconduct.”
The couple who filed the lawsuit is seeking a jury trial, Voytas indicated.