Former Yuma cop sentenced to 20 years in prison

A former Yuma cop was sentenced to 20 years in a California state prison Friday for raping a 23-year-old woman related to him by marriage.

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Jared Elkins, 35, was convicted by a San Diego jury in December 2018 on four rape charges. Those charges include forcible rape, sexual penetration by force, and two counts of oral copulation by force. He was acquitted of four other charges that involved sex crimes against an intoxicated person.

Judge Charles Rogers said the highest offense was forcible rape, in which he handed down an eight-year sentence. The judge then told Elkins the sexual penetration by force charge would hand down a six-year sentence. Both counts of oral copulation were given a three-year sentence, for a total of 20 years in prison.

Prosecutors said Elkins, who was related to the victim’s family by marriage, entered the woman’s bedroom in Sept. 2017. The woman testified last year and said Elkins forced himself on her and threatened to kill her if she yelled. Elkins wife was sleeping in the room next door.

According to testimony, after the attack, the woman woke up her mother and the two jumped out of a side window and called 911.

At the felony rape trial late last year, Elkins said he was arrested just hours later by the San Diego Police Department.

Elkin’s now ex-wife and cousin of the victim filed for divorce the day after the attack and moved out of Yuma, according to multiple testimonies.

Elkins resigned from the Yuma Police Department in January 2018.

Elkins and his attorney, Ellis ” Trip ” Johnston, pushed back on the woman’s claims during the nearly three-week-long trial. Elkins claimed the woman came onto to him that night when they were watching a movie, after a few drinks. Johnston claimed rape accusations were made out of guilt.

During Friday’s sentence hearing, the victim, her family members, and another woman from Yuma who alleged Elkins also tried to rape her while he was out on bond, told the judge their lives have been flipped upside down since the night of the incident.

The victim and her family said they live in fear of retaliation from the tight-knit community of Yuma, especially members of law enforcement. The victim even said she received harassing messages online after she spoke up.

” While he spent well over a year-and-a-half innocent until proven guilty, I hid indoors guilty until proven innocent, ” she said.

The woman from Yuma, a former military member, who also accused Elkins of raping her, said she’s also received backlash online.

” I felt safer flying military missions in the Middle East over Iraq and Afghanistan than I do in my own hometown, ” she said Friday.

Meantime, the victim’s mother said those who knew her daughter would all agree that when she walks into a room, she lights it up. However, since the attack, things have changed.

” That light has been extinguished and it’s been replaced by fear, distrust, and deep sadness, ” the victim’s mother told the court.

Johnston wanted the court to also consider the effects this has had on Elkins.

” It can and should consider how it will affect Mr. Elkins, who in the course of two months, had only seen light, had only been outside for no more than two hours, ” Johnston said about Elkins time in jail since he was convicted.

Elkins will not have the option for probation, was recognized for already serving 120 days total in jail, and he can appeal the sentence within 60 days.