Woman accuses MHP trooper of sexually exploiting her by capturing sex act on video and sharing it with fellow officers

RANKIN COUNTY, Miss. (WLBT) - A trooper with the Mississippi Highway Patrol has been accused of having a sexual encounter with a woman, capturing it on her smart phone and circulating it throughout the law enforcement agency, all of which the victim claims was done without her consent, according to a complaint filed with the Mississippi Attorney General’s Office and obtained by 3 On Your Side.

The complaint, which does not name the female trooper, describes an encounter that began with dinner and drinks several months ago, and ended with the two women going back to the trooper’s home.

“Much of that night is a blur,” the unidentified victim said in the complaint. “I became unusually and extremely intoxicated. The next morning I woke up in bed without my clothes on... I was aware a sexual encounter had taken place but had difficulty remembering any of what happened.”

One of the disjointed memories included a phone being used, the victim said, and she confronted the trooper about that.

The complaint states the trooper assured the victim that her face was not in a video she recorded and that video would be securely stored in the law enforcement officer’s phone.

By spring of this year, the victim discovered the video of the sexual encounter had been watched by someone else, and that person recognized the victim in the video, confirming her face was visible in whatever was recorded.

The victim repeatedly asked the trooper about the video, whether she sent it to anyone else, and demanded all copies of it be deleted, according to the complaint.

“I also sent [redacted] another text message informing her how violated I felt and that she had also violated my trust by sending this video out without my consent and exploiting me for no other reason than to sexually entertain her boyfriend,” the victim said in the complaint. “That was the last contact I had with [redacted].”

In June, the victim’s ex-husband told her he had been made aware of a sex tape involving her, and said it was circulating throughout the agency, the complaint states.

“At this point, I have no idea the exact number of people who have this video,” the victim wrote in the complaint. “Based on what I’ve been told, a lot of our law enforcement community have it. MHP heads and officers are sharing it.”

The victim said she believes the trooper is “purposely and maliciously sexually exploiting” her by sharing the video, which she contends was taken without her knowledge or consent.

This week, 3 On Your Side confirmed two state agencies are investigating the allegations.

“The Mississippi Department of Public Safety has been made aware of these serious allegations involving a Mississippi Highway Patrol State Trooper,” DPS spokesperson Bailey Martin told WLBT on Tuesday. “A formal complaint has not been filed with the Mississippi Highway Patrol regarding the alleged incident; however, an internal investigation is being conducted.”

Her attorney, Robert Parrish, tells 3 On Your Side the Attorney General’s office is also pursuing a criminal investigation.

“Our client has suffered immense harm, both physically and emotionally, and it is our utmost priority to ensure that they receive the justice they deserve. We are fully dedicated to uncovering the truth, holding any responsible parties accountable,” Parrish said in a statement.

Reporter Brendan Hall and WLBT anchor Howard Ballou contributed to this story.

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