DENVER – A Denver Police Department Corporal has been suspended for a month after it was discovered he had sex with a prostitute in late 2016, according to documents obtained by Denver7.

The revelation and subsequent investigation into the police misconduct happened after the department’s Vice Narcotics Team arrested a woman, identified only as SJ, on Feb. 8, 2017 inside the Marriott Hotel in downtown Denver.

Documents show police were conducting an undercover prostitution investigation at the time and arrested SJ for possession of a controlled substance and prostitution, after finding suspected crack cocaine inside her hotel room.

Two days later, on February 10, SJ was contacted by detectives outside the Denver Detention Center shortly after she had bonded out, and agreed to meet with the officers to discuss her knowledge of drug dealers, prostitution, pimping, and on-line escort websites.

According to the documents, SJ told detectives about a Denver police officer who had allegedly paid for sexual acts with her in the past, identifying the officer as Corporal Zachery Phillips.

An internal affairs investigation ensued and Corporal Phillips acknowledged that he knew SJ, telling investigators she came to his house for a massage around November or December of 2016.

Phillips told investigators he did not remember the agreed upon price for the massage, but thought “it was around $40.”

He also admitted that SJ spend the night and slept with him in his bed, but denied ever engaging in sex with her, but documents state, “the preponderance of evidence indicates that he paid SJ for a sexual act.”

The order of disciplinary action also states Phillips and SJ continued talking to each other and were dating for a brief period after their first encounter at his home in late 2016.

“Although he denied having knowledge that SJ engaged in acts of prostitution, the credible evidence indicates otherwise. SJ had served time in prison for burglary and was on parole,” the document states.

The departmental order of disciplinary action then details and defines the policies that were violated by Phillips, including Conduct Prohibited by Law – Soliciting Prostitution and Prohibited Associations.

The documents show Phillips will be on a one-year probation for allegedly having sex with a prostitute and for having a relationship with her, and will also be suspended for a period of 30 days without pay for the alleged department violations.