Why domestic violence and steroid charges were dropped against ex-Sacramento cop
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Former Sacramento police officer Justin David Shepard was accused of domestic violence.
- He also faced charges of illegal steroid possession in a separate misdemeanor case.
- Those criminal charges were dropped. His law enforcement certification remains suspended.
A former Sacramento police officer’s California law enforcement certification was temporarily suspended after the court dismissed charges of domestic violence and illegal possession of steroids against him.
The Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office in 2021 filed felony domestic violence charges against Justin David Shepard in connection with alleged criminal acts upon a woman with whom Shepard had a dating relationship.
Prosecutors filed misdemeanor charges against Shepard in a separate case in which he and another Sacramento police officer were accused of illegally possessing steroids. The other officer entered a drug diversion program.
Since then, the District Attorney’s Office was forced to drop the felony domestic violence charges against Shepard even though a judge had already determined there was sufficient evidence for the former police officer to stand trial, Sacramento Superior Court documents show.
After the domestic violence case was dismissed, the court granted Shepard’s request to enter a diversion program in the misdemeanor steroid possession case. The court last year dismissed the steroid case after Shepard successfully completed a 12-hour anger management course.
California POST suspension
A few weeks after the steroid case was dismissed, in May 2025, Shepard’s California law enforcement certification was temporarily suspended by the California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training. Shepard’s name was added to a list on the California POST website that shows that Shepard’s temporary suspension — nearly a year later — remains in effect.
A POST temporary suspension remains in effect until either a final determination is made by the commission or the executive director withdraws the temporary suspension, if warranted, according to the POST website.
Shepard’s last day as an employee for the Sacramento Police Department was Nov. 10, 2021. The POST certification list indicates the basis for his temporary suspension is that he was “discharged by a police agency for acts that violate the law.”
Michael Wise, Shepard’s defense attorney in the now-dismissed criminal cases, did not respond to The Sacramento Bee’s request for him or his client to comment for this story. It’s unclear whether Shepard will seek to have his state law enforcement certification reinstated.
Arrested twice on domestic violence charges
At the time of his first arrest on domestic violence charges on May 7, 2021, Shepard had been working for the Police Department for about three years. Shepard was placed on administrative leave and stripped of his peace officer powers, according to the department. His job with the department ended six months later.
In June 2021, Sacramento County prosecutors declined to file domestic violence charges against Shepard, saying there was at the time “insufficient evidence to file charges and sustain a conviction on the guilt beyond a reasonable doubt standard,” according to a statement from the District Attorney’s Office.
In August 2021, Shepard was arrested again after authorities learned he “was involved in another domestic violence incident” in San Francisco County, and Sacramento County prosecutors decided to file charges against Shepard based on “new criminal conduct and further investigation,” the DA’s Office said in a news release.
At the conclusion of a March 2023 preliminary hearing in the felony domestic violence case, Judge Kevin McCormick determined there was sufficient evidence for Shepard to stand trial.
Then, Shepard’s attorney asked the judge to reduce the charges to misdemeanors. Wise argued that the alleged victim would get drunk, accuse Shepard of cheating on her and challenge him, a pattern of behavior that subsequently “torpedoed his life,” according to a filed court transcript of the 2023 hearing.
The judge rejected Wise’s request and ordered Shepard to stand trial on felony domestic violence charges.
“I don’t see this as misdemeanor conduct whatsoever, any of these incidents, so I’m going to decline to deem these to be misdemeanors,” McCormick said. “They are all felonies in this court’s view.”
Felony trial never happened
But Shepard’s felony domestic violence trial never occurred. The DA’s Office said the prosecutor in October 2024 was forced to file a motion to dismiss the criminal charges against Shepard because the victim wasn’t willing to show up and testify in court. The judge then dismissed the case.
“The complaining victim in this case was not supportive of prosecution and, despite repeated attempts to locate her, she did not appear in court,” according to a written statement from the DA’s Office. “As a result, we could not prove our case beyond a reasonable doubt. Unfortunately, this is not an uncommon scenario in domestic violence cases.”
After the judge dismissed the felony domestic violence case, Wise filed a motion in the misdemeanor steroid possession case to allow the former police officer to enter a pretrial diversion program.
In his December 2024 filed motion, Wise argued that the Police Department discovered text messages between Shepard and other officers that showed the “illegal acquisition” and use of steroid supplements meant to enhance their physical abilities as patrol officers.
“He made a romantic connection with a nurse in Sacramento and their ensuing relationship became toxic, leading to allegations of domestic violence,” Wise argued. “Other than his relationship with that woman, Mr. Shepard has led a blameless life and had been a model citizen and member of our community. His agreement to secure and use testosterone treatment was a deviation from his otherwise purpose-driven lifestyle, and he is the perfect candidate for misdemeanor judicial diversion as set forth in penal code 10001.95.”
This portion of California law allows judges to use their discretion: If a defendant completes court-ordered terms, such as counseling or restitution, the judge can then dismiss the misdemeanor case and expunge the arrest. The judge can grant this request over the objection of the prosecutor.
On May 7, 2025, Judge Jerome Price dismissed the misdemeanor steroid possession case against Shepard after the former police officer provided the court certified proof he completed a 12-hour anger management course, court documents show.
