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June 27, 2006

Westerly police officer accused of off-duty sex assault

WESTERLY -- A town police officer is being charged with two counts of second-degree sexual assault and one count of disorderly conduct leveled at him by the state police, according to a news release issued today by Police Chief Edward A. Mello.

The charges arose after a state and local police investigation into a female’s complaint to the Westerly Police Department on June 16 that she was sexually assaulted by Officer Don Thompson, according to Mello.

Mello confirmed this afternoon that the complainant is a 17-year-old girl.

Thompson, 39, was off duty at the time of the incident in question, the police said. He also faces Westerly police charges of reckless driving, operating with a suspended license and refusal to submit to a chemical test.

Thompson surrendered himself at the State Police Barracks in Hope Valley last night, according to Mello. He was arraigned at that time before a justice of the peace on all charges and was released on personal recognizance, according to the police.

“The Westerly Police Department has taken these allegations very seriously, as it does with all criminal complaints of this nature,” Mello’s statement reads. “Officer Thompson has been placed on unpaid suspension as result of these charges.”

-- With reports from Journal staff writer Katie Mulvaney

Posted by Kate Bramson  at 2:01 PM | Permalink

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