Federal prosecutors say that John Rabago was one of the officers who went into a bathroom on Sheridan Street back in January 2018 and came across a homeless man named Sam Ingall. There, court documents revealed that Rabago forced Ingall to lick a public urinal.
The other officer in the case, Reginald Ramones, pleaded guilty to conspiring with Rabago after agreeing to testify against his fellow officer. Ramones admitted in court that Rabago persuaded him not to tell federal authorities about the incident.
Rabago threatened to beat the man and stuff his face in a toilet if he didn’t lick the urinal, (Judge) Kobayashi said. He then grabbed the man’s shoulder, held him down and stepped on his legs to keep him on his knees until he licked the urinal, the judge said.
“You took from him his only possession: his dignity as a human being,” Kobayashi said.
- Rabago pleaded guilty to civil rights violations.
- Rabago apologied to the victim and his family.
- Earlier the victim filed a lawsuit against the Honolulu Police Department and the city.
- Rabago resigned from the Honolulu Police Department before his sentencing on Wednesday.
