Former Westminster police officer Curtis Arganbright was sentenced Monday to six years in federal prison for sexually assaulting a drunk woman in his patrol car while on duty in 2017.

Arganbright, 43, pleaded guilty to violating the victim’s civil rights in the federal case.

Originally, Arganbright pleaded guilty in state court to unlawful sexual contact and official misconduct. For those charges, he was sentenced to 90 days in county jail.

U.S. District Court Judge William Martinez called the internationally criticized 90-day sentence a “miscarriage of justice” during the federal sentencing hearing.

“The sentence I impose will be the opposite,” Martinez said, adding he intends the sentence to be a “strong and forceful message” that police officers are not above the law.

The maximum penalty for the case was 10 years in prison.

The assault happened early morning on Aug. 24, 2017, when Arganbright responded to a reported theft at St. Anthony Hospital.

The hospital said a woman had stolen medical items from a cabinet in her room, which she had checked herself into the night before for treatment related to alcoholism, according to the 2017 arrest affidavit.

After the hospital declined to press charges against her, Arganbright agreed to drive her home since she was intoxicated at three times the legal limit and could not drive herself.

During the drive to her Broomfield home, Arganbright pulled off the road and sexually assaulted the 36-year-old woman, at one point handcuffing her during the assault.

“Curtis Arganbright abused his power and authority as a peace officer to terrorize and victimize a member of our community while on duty,” said Denver FBI Special Agent Michael Schneider. “Such behavior damages the public’s trust in law enforcement officials and is contrary to the oath we all take.”

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The Denver Division of the FBI conducted the investigation into Arganbright with assistance from the Broomfield Police Department.

During Monday’s hearing, Arganbright and his defense attorney tried to claim the sexual activities were consensual; however, when he pleaded guilty, Arganbright acknowledged the assault was not consensual.

Arganbright’s defense attorney also tried to discredit the victim by questioning her character and her history of alcoholism, a strategy Martinez called a surprising attempt at “character assassination.”

In addition to the six-year sentence, Arganbright will forfeit his law enforcement certification and be required to register as a sex offender. He will be under three years of supervised release after serving his time.

Arganbright was ordered to report to prison in eight weeks as he is currently recovering from a serious case of COVID-19.