SAN JOSE OFFICER LEWD S.S.
A SAN JOSE POLICE OFFICER (WHO HAS BEEN WITH THE FORCE FOR 22 YEARS) WAS ARRAIGNED ON 2 FELONY COUNTS OF COMMITTING LEWD ACTS WITH AN 11 MONTH-OLD BABY GIRL. 49 YEAR-OLD STEPHEN GALLAGHER WAS ARRESTED LAST WEEK IN CONNECTION WITH AN INCIDENT THAT THE NIGHT BEFORE, JUST OUTSIDE THE MORGAN HILL CITY LIMITS. GALLAGHER IS CURRENTLY BEING HELD WITHOUT BAIL, ALTHOUGH A BAIL HEARING HAS BEEN SCHEDULED FOR TOMORROW MORNING IN SANTA CLARA COUNTY SUPERIOR COURT.
GALLAGHER WAS REPORTEDLY OFF-DUTY, AND LEGALLY AT THE INFANT?S HOME, DURING THE TIME OF THE ALLEGED INCIDENT.
IF CONVICTED OF BOTH CHARGES, GALLAGHER COULD BE SENTENCED UP TO 10 YEARS IN STATE PRISON , AND THEN HE WOULD BE COMPELLED TO REGISTER AS A SEX OFFENDER. CONVICTION ON BOTH CHARGES WOULD COUNT AS 2 STRIKES.
THE ELKHORN SLOUGH, AND MORRO BAY WILL BE STUDIED IN DETAIL, SO THAT WHAT WETLANDS ARE LEFT CAN BE PRESERVED. THAT AFTER 90 PERCENT OF THE STATE?S WETLANDS HAVE DISAPPEARED IN THE LAST 225 YEARS. SCIENTISTS HAVE COME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT THE COMPLEX HABITATS, WHICH ARE VITAL TO THE PROCESS OF PURIFYING GROUNDWATER SUPPLIES (AND ARE ALSO HOME TO MANY SPECIES OF ENDANGERED WILDLIFE) NEED TO BE PROTECTED. SCIENTISTS HOPE TO MANAGE THESE 2 WETLANDS AREAS, TO ENSURE THAT THEY REMAIN FUNCTIONAL. THE HOPE IS TO STANDARDIZE, AND EXPAND, WETLAND MONITORING AND RESTORATION ALONG THE CENTRAL COAST.
