IMPD Officer Arrested, Charged With Rape

INDIANAPOLIS -- An Indianapolis police officer arrested Thursday told a woman he'd send her to jail if she didn't have sex with him, prosecutors said.

IMPD Patrol Officer Anthony S. Smith, 36, was charged Thursday with seven felonies, including rape, criminal deviate conduct, sexual misconduct and official misconduct, according to court documents.

Smith was suspended without pay and recommended for termination on Monday after a woman told police he sexually assaulted her while on duty.

According to a probable cause affidavit, Smith stopped the woman at an east-side gas station early on Aug. 15 and told her that she was wanted on a warrant.

“I’m going to give you an option. I can lock you up, but I really don’t want to,” Smith said, according to the record, “or you can ride with me for an hour.”

The woman agreed to ride with Smith, who she said then threatened to take her to jail if she did not have sex with him.

Smith later admitted to having sex with the woman but said it was consensual. He denied threatening to arrest her, according to the affidavit.

"Things don't get much worse than this case," said IMPD Police Chief Michael Spears. "These allegations are horrific and to think that it detracts and removes attention from the good work that our police officers do every day is very disappointing."

Smith -- who worked nights in the Northeast District -- was arrested Thursday afternoon by members of the SWAT team, Spears said.

Smith is one of three IMPD officers suspended without pay and recommended for dismissal recently following charges and allegations concerning their conduct.

Several other officers have been arrested this year on numerous charges, ranging from running a prostitution ring to selling firearms to felons, drunken driving and drug trafficking.

Thursday, former public safety director Robert Turner blamed the recent rash of officer arrests on lower training academy standards put in place during the Bart Peterson administration in an effort to put more officers on the streets.

In July, integrity safeguards were implemented in hopes of trimming rogue officers from the force.