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A Maryland police officer has been arrested after allegedly raping a woman in her car during a routine traffic stop.
According to a news release from the Prince George’s County Police Department, Monday evening, six-year veteran Officer Ryan Macklin was taken in on charges of first-degree rape, second-degree rape, perverted practice, second-degree assault and fourth-degree sex offense.
Police Chief Hank Stawinski says that the alleged victim claims that last week, while he was in uniform and on duty, the officer pulled her over at one o’clock in the morning and forced her to perform a sexual act in her vehicle.
According to charging documents, the woman told police that the officer first attempted to touch her breast before ordering her to move her car behind a store. Once she complied with the request, the officer allegedly made her perform oral sex on him then told her he wanted to have sex with her.
The alleged assault was interrupted by a witness whom the woman says she had called previously. At which point Officer Ryan Macklin returned to his cruiser and fled the scene. The witness later corroborated the woman’s account of the assault, which was also backed up by video evidence.
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Chief Stawinski said at a news conference that the woman came forward “several hours” after the incident due to the encouragement of concerned friends.
“The charges against this officer are highly troubling,” Stawinski said. “Officers take an oath to protect others, not to abuse their authority in order to victimize someone. Those who live and work in Prince George’s County deserve the very best from the men and women of this department.”
Macklin has been suspended without pay, relieved of his police duties and is set to make a court appearance later Tuesday via closed-circuit television. It is unclear whether he is represented by an attorney.
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Investigators do not know why the officer allegedly targeted the driver, but say they have information that suggests “there may be additional people impacted by this officer’s conduct.”
“There were concerns raised that perhaps this event had something to do with the victim’s personal history or her immigration status. I don’t believe that to be the case,” Stawinski said.