ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. – A Florissant couple is suing the City of Florissant and a city police officer on allegations that the officer stole nude photos from the couple during a traffic stop earlier this year.

Attorney Richard Voytas Jr. of Voytas Law filed the suit on September 6 on behalf of his clients, identified as “Jane Doe” and John Doe,” due to the nature of the case and concerns of retaliation. The officer is identified as “Joe Smith” because his identity is unknown.

The suit claims the officer conducted a traffic stop of Jane Doe in February 2024. The officer claimed Jane’s rear taillight was out and asked if she had insurance. He then directed her to pull up her proof of insurance on her cell phone and unlock the device.

The officer allegedly took Jane’s phone back to his police vehicle and disconnected the phone from her car’s Bluetooth. The suit says the officer sat in his vehicle for at least 10 minutes before returning the woman’s phone. The officer drove off without issuing Jane a ticket.

The FBI contacted Jane Doe in July. According to the suit, investigators asked her to identify a nude photograph of a woman. Jane recognized the photo was hers, which she had only ever exchanged with her husband. Federal authorities told Jane this photo and others were found in the possession of the Florissant police officer who had pulled her over.

Officer Smith is accused of accessing Jane Doe’s private messages during the traffic stop and found a pinned conversation between her and John Doe. The suit alleges the officer scrolled back years into the couple’s conversation and found nude pictures the two had exchanged, along with intimate messages.

According to the suit, the officer used his phone to take pictures of the couple’s intimate photos, which he then shared with others, which is how the FBI became aware of the officer’s actions.

Voytas and his clients believe the officer has committed the same crime against others in Florissant. The lawsuit requests a jury trial.