CLEVELAND, Ohio -- A woman called Cleveland police in November 2011 to report she was a victim of a crime, and her night only got worse when the officer who responded sexually assaulted her, according to a lawsuit she filed in 2012.

Det. Paul Jones, a 38-year veteran of the Cleveland Division of Police, also faced criminal charges. He was arrested and charged with gross sexual imposition in Cleveland Municipal Court.

Jones' case was bound over to Cuyahoga County court, where he reached a deal that saw him plead guilty to charges of criminal trespass, dereliction of duty and assault. He received a 90-day suspended jail sentence and supervision.

The woman settled the lawsuit with the city for $5,000.

Paul Jones

The woman said she called Cleveland police to report that she was a victim of an crime at her apartment. When Jones arrived at her home, he began making sexually explicit comments, according to the suit.

About This Series

Northeast Ohio Media Group and The Plain Dealer reviewed the details of nearly 70 lawsuits against Cleveland officers that resulted in taxpayer payouts over the past decade. The lawsuits alleged that officers used excessive force, made wrongful arrests or needlessly escalated violence during encounters with citizens. Though the city admitted no wrongdoing in settling many of the lawsuits, taken as a whole, the patterns that emerge from the cases match closely with the patterns of police behavior that were described in a U.S. Department of Justice investigation. The city has declined the opportunity to discuss the individual cases in more detail. In response to questions, the city released a statement contending that it seriously considers all allegations of excessive force by officers. This, according to the city, has resulted in a steady drop in the annual number of incidents.

Jones exposed himself and forced the woman's head toward his lap as she struggled to get away from him, according to the complaint. The lawsuit doesn't say what happened next, but the woman said she was a victim of a violent sexual assault.

Jones warned her not to tell anyone about the incident, according to the suit.

In an answer to this complaint, Jones denied the allegations.

The woman accused the city of allowing Jones to continue serving on the force after the incident despite knowing about his past misconduct. The city, she claims, didn't take any meaningful corrective measures after Jones' October 2012 sentencing.