A Fort Wayne Police Department officer was arrested and placed on unpaid administrative leave Monday morning on felony charges of sexual misconduct by a service provider and official misconduct.
Officer Mark A. Rogers, a 19-year veteran of the department, was arrested about 10:30 a.m. Monday, Police Chief Rusty York said.
Rogers, 45, works as a crime scene technician for the city police department, York said.
Rogers was also charged with misdemeanor false reporting, York said.
Under Indiana law, sexual misconduct by a service provider charge applies to a public servant, another person employed by a government entity or a person who provides goods and services to someone in lawful detention.
A service provider who knowingly or intentionally engages in sexual intercourse or deviate sexual conduct with a person who is being lawfully detained can be charged with a Class C felony. A service provider of at least 18 years old who knowing or intentionally engages in sexual intercourse or deviate sexual conduct with a person who is less than 18 and in lawful detention can be charged with a Class B felony, according to Indiana code.
Rogers is charged with Class C felony sexual misconduct by a service provider and Class D felony official misconduct
Official misconduct is defined by state law as when a public servant knowingly or intentionally: commits an offense in the performance of their official duties; "solicits, accepts, or agrees to accept from an appointee or employee any property other than what the public servant is authorized by law to accept as a condition of continued employment; acquires or divests himself or herself of a pecuniary interest in any property, transaction, or enterprise or aids another person to do so based on information obtained by virtue of the public servant's office that official action that has not been made public is contemplated; or fails to deliver public records and property in the public servant's custody to the public servant's successor in office when that successor qualifies."
York said an investigation began a little more than a week ago after a complaint originated in Allen County. York declined to provide additional details about the complaint and said the case had been passed to the Allen County Sheriff's Department.
Also on Monday, the Board of Public Safety placed Rogers on unpaid administrative leave pending an investigation by the sheriff's department.