OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) – A former Oklahoma City Police Department officer, who was fired after facing several felony charges but eventually acquitted, has filed a civil lawsuit claiming his rights were abused.

Luis Maldonado filed the suit in July, and in it, he asks for over $27,062,000 in reimbursement. He lists several agencies, pointing the blame at the Oklahoma City Police Department – specifically Chief Wade Gorley.

In 2019, Maldonado said he spent two years in jail after being accused of kidnapping, threatening to perform an act of violence, domestic abuse, forcible oral sodomy, child neglect, and preventing a witness from giving testimony. He was in jail waiting for the jury trial to conclude.

He was fired from the Oklahoma City Police Department a few months after the charges were first filed, per court documents. Maldonado had been in the force for around four years before being fired.

By November 2021, a jury would find Maldonaldo not guilty and the counts would be acquitted.

“They fired me before the trial even ended,” said Maldonado. “You have had several former officers in the past who were either convicted of murder or something else and the department gave them time to defend themselves but not me.”

One of several mugshots of Luis Maldonado. Image courtesy Oklahoma County Detention Center.

Two weeks after Maldonado got out of jail for his acquitted charges, he was arrested again for somewhat similar charges but with a different accuser. He would then spend nine months in jail because he could not afford the bond.

“I spent just about three years in jail total,” said Maldonado.

This time, the case wouldn’t make it before a jury, court records show that a judge dismissed it altogether.

“The whole time, they just let me rot in jail – lost my house, lose connections with my community,” said Maldonado. “My reputation, professionally or not, is ruined.”

Maldonado’s lawsuit was filed in the Oklahoma Western District Court. He listed OKCPD Chief Wade Gorley, former Oklahoma County District Attorney David Prater, Judge Sara Bondurant, the Oklahoma County Detention Center Board of Trustees, and others.

As of Monday, former DA David Prater told KFOR that he had not been served by Maldonado. KFOR reached out to the Oklahoma City Police Department and has yet to hear back.

According to Oklahoma law, the cases/charges can be filed again. Maldonado said he doesn’t believe they could ever have a case again.

“I literally have everything that was said in court, there’s no way they could bring back the charges and win,” said Maldonado. “I just want my life back.”