Docs: Ex-Kokomo police officer sexually assaulted 14-year-old runaway in abandoned parking lot

(WXIN/WTTV) - An ex-Kokomo police officer has been federally charged with minor sexual misconduct after allegedly sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl in an abandoned parking lot.




Sinmi Asomuyide, 32, was indicted in federal court Tuesday and charged with deprivation of rights and witness tampering. Asomuyide was charged last year in Howard County with minor sexual misconduct, sexual battery, child seduction and official misconduct.




The charges against Asomuyide stem from an alleged sexual assault that occurred on June 30, 2024, in Howard County. At the time, Asomuyide was a Kokomo Police Department probationary officer investigating a runaway 14-year-old girl.




Court documents filed against Asomuyide detail how a 14-year-old girl was interviewed on July 2, 2024, regarding allegations made against the officer. The victim said she had been on a "running away streak" recently and that Asomuyide was the officer who kept showing up for her.




The victim said that, after one instance of running away, Asomuyide picked her up and took her to a local youth center, but stopped once they got into the parking lot. She said the officer began asking her questions about her sex life and eventually the two exchanged numbers.




After being returned to a family friend's house, the 14-year-old said that Asomuyide somehow tracked her phone and showed up at the front door demanding she come with him. She said the officer then handcuffed her and put her into his squad car.




The victim described being driven to an "abandoned lot" before Asomuyide uncuffed her and had her sit in the front seat. She said he began to sexually assault her.




"I kept asking him to stop, and he wouldn't," the victim said.




The officer then reportedly handcuffed her again and drove her back to the family friend's house.




"If you tell anyone what happened, it's gonna be on you," the officer reportedly said.




After an investigation by Indiana State Police, Asomuyide was charged on July 23, 2024, in Howard Superior Court 1. The jury trial for this case has been delayed several times since and is now scheduled to begin on Sept. 26, 2025, in front of Judge Matthew Elkin.

Now, in addition to these Howard County charges, Asomuyide has been federally charged in the US Southern District of Indiana.




A federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment that was unsealed Thursday, charging Asomuyide with using his position as an officer to "kidnap" and sexually abuse the 14-year-old. The indictment also alleges Asomuyide lied to state investigators to try and cover up the assault.




The first count, Deprivation of Rights, charges Asomuyide with willfully depriving the victim of her constitutional rights by assaulting her. Furthermore, the charge also states that his actions constitute kidnapping.




The second count, Witness Tampering, alleges that Asomuyide purposefully lied to Indiana State Police by denying that any assault occurred and fabricating details of the interaction. Documents state he also lied by saying investigators would not find semen in his squad car, which they did.




If convicted of these two federal charges, Asomuyide faces a maximum sentence of life in prison.




The FBI has now launched an ongoing investigation into the allegations. Anyone with additional information about the incident or Asomuyide is asked to call 1-800-CALL-FBI.





via: https://fox59.com/news/indycrime/docs-ex-kokomo-police-officer-sexually-assaulted-14-year-old-runaway-in-abandoned-parking-lot/