Ex-San Diego cop pleads not guilty to rape

SAN DIEGO (CNS) – An ex-San Diego police officer, who was fired or quit in connection with allegations he raped a prostitute while on duty, was jailed Friday in lieu of $300,000 bail.

Daniel Edward Dana, 26, pleaded not guilty Friday to four felonies, including rape under the color of authority. He is due back in court May 24 for a readiness conference.

Jail records showed he remained in custody yesterday.

Dana, who was arrested Wednesday, was ordered to surrender a gun he had at his home and told Judge Joseph Brannigan his service revolver had already been taken from him.

Dana quit or was fired almost immediately in the wake of his arrest, which came just a day after police Chief William Lansdowne publicly apologized for a spate of alleged officer misconduct.

A 34-year-old prostitute Dana befriended told police she agreed to meet him about 3 a.m. in Presidio Park, where the officer allegedly forced her to have sex with him by threatening to arrest her if she refused, authorities said.

In addition to rape under the color of authority, the defendant faces charges of oral copulation under the color of authority, false imprisonment and assault by an officer.

Dana could get more than 17 years in prison if convicted of all the charges, Deputy District Attorney Annette Irving said.

Six San Diego police officers have been arrested on suspicion of various crimes over the past three months.

Lansdowne's apology came three days after off-duty Officer William Johnson was arrested in Chula Vista on suspicion of driving while intoxicated.