A former Stockton Police Department sergeant facing 19 charges, including sexual assault, is seeking mental health diversion for nine of the charges due to a Post Traumatic Stress Disorder diagnosis, court documents show.

Nicholas Bloed, who began his employment in March 2008 with the Stockton Police Department, was arrested and charged in November 2022.

The latest complaint against Bloed shows charges of:

• Rape by force/fear/etc with a special allegation of sex crimes (count 2)

• Rape by threat to arrest/deport (count 3)

• Oral copulation by use of force, or injury with a special allegation of sex crimes (count 4)

• Oral copulation by use of force, or injury with a special allegation of sex crimes (count 8)

• Oral copulation by use of force, or injury with a special allegation of sex crimes (count 11)

• Oral copulation by use of force, or injury with a special allegation of sex crimes (count 16)

• Oral copulation by threat of authority to arrest/deport (count 5)

• Oral copulation by threat of authority to arrest/deport (count 9)

• Oral copulation by threat of authority to arrest/deport (count 12)

• Oral copulation by threat of authority to arrest/deport (count 17)

• Assault by a public officer (count 1)

• Assault by a public officer (count 6)

• Assault by a public officer (count 7)

• Assault by a public officer (count 10)

• Assault by a public officer (count 13)

• Assault by a public officer (count 15)

• Assault by a public officer (count 18)

• Unauthorized use of computer service (count 14)

• Prostitution − providing compensation (count 19)

Bloed’s attorney, N. Allen Sawyer, submitted a motion in February to the court to grant mental health diversion for his client for counts 1, 6, 7, 10, 13, 15, 18, 14, and 19.

Sawyer said that in California, mental health diversion is a legislative initiative aimed at addressing the intersection of mental health issues and the criminal justice system. The policy seeks to provide alternatives to incarceration for individuals whose criminal behavior is significantly linked to mental health disorders. Its goal is to promote rehabilitation over punishment.

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Why seek mental health diversion?

In court documents, Sawyer said the motion was made in “good faith” because the former police sergeant had been clinically diagnosed with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.

“His diagnosis is supported by medical professionals, and his condition was a significant contributing factor to the alleged offenses,” Sawyer stated in the motion documents.

According to his attorney, Bloed was diagnosed with PTSD on July 8, 2022 – prior to him being charged with his current case. Bloed had sought out treatment at the Lakes Addiction Treatment Center, which is located in Copperopolis.

“With the mental health diversion statute, you’re not admitting the offense or any conduct happened, but what you’re saying is if the conduct happened, that there is a mental health diagnosis that he had,” Sawyer said.

A letter from his clinical psychologist written on Dec. 7, 2022 stated that Bloed was in their care from July 8, 2022 until Sept. 5, 2022.

“Mr. Bloed contacted the treatment center in order to voluntarily participate in a program to address both his struggles with compulsive behaviors as well as mental health symptoms,” the letter stated. “Specifically, while Mr. Bloed was in treatment, it became evident that his primary issues included both Sex Addiction as well as Posttraumatic Stress Disorder.”

The doctor said Bloed had experienced trauma on the job as a first responder as well as personal trauma experienced outside of law enforcement.

What led to Bloed’s arrest?

During a preliminary hearing in 2022, Stockton Police detective Julio Morales said he learned about the possible misconduct on March 14, 2022 and shortly afterward, the vice unit conducted electronic and physical surveillance on Bloed while he was working.

Morales said at the hearing that law enforcement had noticed Bloed in the south side of Stockton, where there is a high rate of prostitution, despite him being placed in the north side for patrol.

The detective said Bloed was seen conducting numerous traffic stops, but none of them were announced over the radio and his body cameras were not activated.

Ultimately, Bloed was arrested following an undercover operation.

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Morales said Bloed showed up to a fake meeting with a victim in the case at a motel while on duty, resulting in him being placed on administrative leave. His badge was also taken, according to Morales.

Stockton Police severed ties with Bloed on Oct. 13, 2022, about five months after the first two alleged victims filed sexual misconduct complaints against Bloed, who had been on paid leave while an internal affairs investigation was conducted.

What are the allegations against Bloed?

At the same preliminary hearing where Morales took the stand, several other alleged victims of Bloed also spoke.

Some testified that they felt pressured into having sex with Bloed because he was a police officer. Others told the judge they engaged in consensual sexual acts with Bloed. However, they said intoxication and the possibility of arrest were factors in their decisions.

Those who took the stand said they had “unusual conversations” and text message exchanges with the former officer after he approached them in uniform and asked for their personal phone numbers.

Bloed’s attorney believes the PTSD diagnosis contributed to his client engaging in “risky behaviors” and issues with impulse control. Still, Sawyer said Bloed’s behavior of engaging in sexual activity with individuals he met on the job was inappropriate.

In total, the case had nine confidential victims, but according to Sawyer, some of them have been dismissed thus far in the legal process. Out of the nine victims, five of them are considered sexual assault victims, Sawyer said.

However, Sawyer said the court on its own dismissed two of them, one allegedly admitted to Martin J. Whited, a private investigator hired by Sawyer, that his acts with Bloed were consensual, and another one of the sexual assault victims recanted. Sawyer said the victim who recanted had disappeared.

“That leaves the only person who kind of claims there was a sexual assault,” Sawyer said.

However, Sawyer said that the sexual assault victim recanted following a fallout with her civil attorney.

According to Sawyer, the government has not yet dismissed the victim who had a fall out with their civil attorney. The victim who alleged the acts with Bloed were consensual and the victim who recanted have yet to be found.

“There’s no person that’s going to testify to a sexual assault left in this case,” Sawyer said. “That doesn’t mean that there’s no offenses or charges that are still going to be present, and those are the ones we’re doing mental health diversion.”

Sawyer said he believes “it’s unfair that the story hasn’t been told because, according to what’s left in the public record, Nicholas Bloed was running around raping people.”

“The record does not support that,” Sawyer said.

An attempt to reach the prosecutor in the case, Carrie Lawrence, was made via the San Joaquin County District Attorney’s Office spokesperson.

Spokesperson Erin Haight responded to the inquiry with the following response: “At this time, we are unable to provide comment as this matter is currently ongoing. We are committed to ensuring that nothing jeopardizes the integrity of the case, and we appreciate your understanding. We will continue to monitor developments closely and provide updates as appropriate.”

Sawyer said if his client is granted the mental health diversion, there will still be a trial.

A jury trial in the case is scheduled to begin in late March.

This article originally appeared on The Record: Ex-Stockton police sergeant accused of rape seeking PTSD diversion