Eric Roberts
An Oklahoma Highway Patrol
trooper arrested earlier this month on accusations that he raped and sexually
assaulted three women during traffic stops has resigned from the patrol,
according to OHP Capt. George Brown.
Brown said Eric Roberts’
resignation letter arrived late Thursday and was processed Friday.
Roberts has not been charged,
though a document released this month by the Creek County District Attorney’s
Office outlined three traffic stops that Roberts made this summer where he allegedly
sexually assaulted women:
• Roberts stopped a 36-year-old
woman on Interstate 44 in Creek County just after 2 p.m. June 15, offered her
$20 for a lap dance and then instructed her “to use a U-Haul truck to move, so
he could stop her and they could have sexual intercourse in the back” of the
truck, an affidavit states.
• Roberts allegedly pulled over
a 22-year-old woman on July 8 for a traffic violation and asked her “what she
would do for that amount of money,” according to the affidavit. It says Roberts
placed the woman in his patrol vehicle, drove her to a secluded location and
had her give him oral sex.
• On July 22, Roberts allegedly
pulled over a woman who had warrants out for her arrest and informed her that
he “didn’t need to take her to jail or write her a ticket, but he needed some
convincing.” He eventually drove her to a secluded location, where the rape
occurred.
Assistant Creek County District
Attorney Mike Loeffler said Monday that Roberts’ scheduled arraignment Tuesday
would likely be postponed, as charges are not ready.
“Quite frankly, I believe the
Highway Patrol did not pick the right charges,” Loeffler said. “There’s a
question in regards to the sexual aspects … as to what degree of rape or other
charges would be correct. We have some research yet to do.”
Loeffler said the office may
add a bribery or imposition of office charge against the trooper.
Roberts was quietly suspended
from the OHP on July 24, the day after the July 22 victim came forward with her
account of the traffic stop. That woman eventually contacted attorney Kevin
Adams, who filed a lawsuit Aug. 11 on the woman’s behalf, accusing Roberts of
raping her during a traffic stop.
Roberts was arrested Sept. 15
on one complaint of second-degree rape, one count of forcible oral sodomy, two
counts of sexual battery and two counts each of rape by instrumentation,
kidnapping and indecent exposure.
OHP Commander Ricky Adams said
during a media conference regarding Roberts’ arrest that the 16-year trooper
had turned off his dash camera and microphone during all three of the alleged
sexual assaults, as well as during three other stops that were deemed
“questionable” by the department, though not illegal.
Roberts was the first of three
law officers in the state accused this summer of sexual misconduct while on
duty. Oklahoma City Police Officer Daniel Holtzclaw was arrested Aug. 21 after
the city’s department completed an investigation into claims that he sexually
abused a number of women while on duty.
Tulsa County Sheriff’s Deputy
Gerald Nuckolls was arrested Sept. 16, the same day he allegedly assaulted two
women after he responded to a 911 hang-up call at their home. Nuckolls, 26,
faces two counts of sexual battery and one count each of indecent exposure and
outraging public decency.
