East Bay Cop Accepted Sex Workers, Cash As Bribe From Illegal Brothel: DA

HAYWARD, CA — A 48-year-old East Bay police officer is accused of accepting bribes in the form of sex workers and cash, authorities said.

Hayward Police Department Officer Benjamin Yarbough, 48, was charged Wednesday with one count of accepting a bribe, according to the Alameda County District Attorney's Office.

"The law applies to everyone, and the integrity of law enforcement is fundamental to public trust," Alameda District Attorney Ursula Hones Dickson said in a statement Wednesday.

Yarbough knowingly accepted at least $1,000 from an illegal brothel and free access to sex workers, prosecutors said.

The 48-year-old has since been placed on paid administrative leave, according to the Hayward Police Department.

Authorities learned about the officer's behavior following an investigation into prostitution by the San Jose Police Department, according to prosecutors.

The Alameda County District Attorney's Office was notified and took the lead in the investigation. Hayward Police Department’s Internal Affairs Unit is also conducting an investigation into potential policy violations by the 48-year-old officer.

"As police officers, we are held to a higher standard and the allegations in this case, if proven to be true, strike at the core of who we are as a profession," the Hayward Police Department said. "They are not representative of the dedicated, professional men and women of the Hayward Police Department or the policing profession."