Trial begins for ex-Lauderhill officer accused of soliciting sex from homeless woman

LAUDERHILL — A woman who claims a former Lauderhill police officer requested sex in exchange for not getting detained or ticketed took the witness stand Tuesday and told her story, including saying the officer identified himself by a name other than his own.

Ex-officer Jamar Lee was charged in December 2021 in the Feb. 25, 2020 exchange.

Prosecutor Justin McCormack said in opening statements on Tuesday the case is about an abuse of power. McCormack added Lee didn’t advise dispatch of his encounter with the woman, as officers usually do in such instances.

“He made no documentation whatsoever that he ever encountered her,” McCormack said.

Defense attorney Johnny McCray suggested the episode might be a shakedown for money. He asked the woman, Sierra Parrish, whether she thought about suing over the incident and she said, “yes.”

He asked if she thought she could get $300,000.

“Yes,” she replied. “For my pain and suffering.”

[ RELATED: South Florida cop accused of shaking down homeless woman for sex ]

Parrish said when the officer pulled up to her car, he identified himself as Justin Lee, and the prosecution said a 20-month Internal Affairs investigation turned up a cell phone in Lee’s car that contained text messages in which he identified himself as Justin.

Parrish, who was 22 years old and homeless at the time of the incident, said she was in her car about 3:30 a.m. at a Dunkin’ Donuts parking lot trying to access the wi-fi signal so she could get in touch with her sister to request money or a place to stay.

Parrish said Lee asked for her driver’s license, and as she was searching the back of her car, Lee shined his flashlight under her dress and made an approving sound.

Parrish said Lee told her not to worry that she couldn’t find her license, which, he told her, was suspended. She said she wasn’t aware her license was suspended. She also said Lee told her the tag on her car was expired, but upon cross-examination she admitted Lee didn’t say anything about her tag that night.

“He told me to follow him to a location where there’s other police officers,” she testified, later adding, “Where I followed him to, there were no other police officers around.”

She said Lee led her to a dark alley. While both cars were parked, they got out and she said he used her hand to touch his crotch and told her “Don’t act stupid. You know what you need to do.”

She said soon afterward she heard rattling in some bushes, thought it was a person, and asked Lee go to another location “just to throw him off and just to escape from him.”

At one point while they were driving to another location, he made a right turn and she made a left turn and escaped. She eventually went to her ex-boyfriend’s apartment and called police.

Defense attorney McCray said Lee discovered Parrish’s tag was expired and he told her he wouldn’t allow her to drive the car. McCray said Lee told Parrish she could have it towed or have someone get it.

“He never threatened to take her to jail,” McCray said. “He felt sorry for her.”

McCray said Parrish asked Lee for $60.

McCray said the case is about opportunity because the Parrish had other cases pending and wanted to use this one as leverage.

McCray pointed out that video from a bodycam worn by an officer who interviewed Parrish after the incident shows that she never mentioned Lee used her hand to touch his crotch and never mentioned he made a comment about wanting to have sex with her.

On cross-examination, she admitted Lee never threatened to take her to jail.

The trial is scheduled to resume Wednesday.

Chris Perkins can be reached at chperkins@sunsentinel.com.