Maui’s police chief denies allegations made by an alleged sexual assault victim of Sean “Diddy” Combs that he worked as an enforcer and facilitator for the rap mogul’s sex parties while working as a captain for the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department in 2018.
Maui Police Chief John Lawrence Pelletier was named in an amended civil complaint filed Friday in federal court in Northern California by one of Combs’ alleged victims.
Pelletier is not named or charged in the 14-page indictment released in September that accuses Combs, 55, of luring female victims to take part in “freak-offs,” or elaborate sex performances, involving male sex workers that at times lasted days and were sometimes recorded.
Combs and his associates, the indictment alleges, used violence, coercion, drugs and bribes to get women to take part in the freak-offs and to keep the parties secret. Federal prosecutors allege victims feared they would be subjected to violence or their careers or finances would be harmed if they refused to participate.
The victim who filed the civil complaint Friday claimed she reported an alleged gang rape by Combs and his loyalists to Pelletier, who was posing as a Contra Costa Sheriff’s Department deputy.
Instead of reporting it, the woman alleges Pelletier, who she claims maintained a list of Combs’ “safe houses” for sex parties, strong-armed her into silence.
Maui Mayor Richard Bissen sent a letter to the Police Commission asking commissioners to place Pelletier on administrative leave while conducting an independent review of the civil allegations.
Commissioners will consider the mayor’s letter at their meeting scheduled for 10 a.m. March 19 in Kahului.
Pelletier rebuffed Bissen’s call to the commission and, in a statement to the Honolulu Star-Advertiser on Tuesday morning, said he wanted “to address the recent request by Mayor Bissen to the Maui County Police Commission regarding my position as Chief of Police.”
“Let me be clear: the allegations made against me are completely false, and I have not been formally served with any legal paperwork. Throughout my career, I have served with integrity and dedication, and I am deeply disappointed by this request, which I believe to be both premature and unjust. I understand the importance of transparency and accountability in law enforcement, and I fully intend to cooperate with any necessary processes to ensure the truth is known,” said Pelletier, a 22-year veteran of the Las Vegas police department when he was sworn in as MPD chief in December 2021. “However, I firmly believe no one should face professional consequences based on unsubstantiated claims. I remain committed to the officers, staff, and residents of this County and sincerely appreciate the support of those who know my character, my dedication to my family, and my lifelong commitment to this profession.”
Despite the challenge brought by the allegations, Pelletier said his focus “remains on serving this community and leading the Maui Police Department with the honor and integrity it deserves.”
There is precedent for Bissen’s request that Pelletier be placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of a commission investigation. During his administration two former directors were both placed on paid leave pending investigation and were later terminated.
In 2024, Bissen dismissed the county’s finance director and the director of its Office of Economic Development.
The decisions were made based on the circumstances and in the best interest of the administration and the community, according to county officials.
The union representing Maui’s police officers, the State of Hawaii Organization of Police Officers, weighed in Tuesday on the mayor’s request regarding Pelletier.
Nick Krau, SHOPO Maui Chapter chair, in a statement to the Star-Advertiser, noted that when an officer “is accused of serious misconduct, just like any private citizen, they have a right to due process, which includes a thorough and objective investigation into the allegations.”
“It is critical that the Maui Police Department’s top officer be treated the same way any patrol officer under his command is treated. This is critical in fostering public trust in law enforcement through transparency and accountability,” said Krau. “I believe the intentions behind Mayor Bissen’s measured request to swiftly address the allegations that have attracted national attention are firmly grounded in his desire to do what’s best for the Maui Police Department and the people of Maui.”
