Baltimore County Police Officer Anthony Westerman Denied Bond On Rape, Assault Charges
BALTIMORE COUNTY, Md. (WJZ) — The Baltimore County police officer charged with two counts of second-degree rape and three counts of second-degree assault was denied bond Monday.
Prosecutors argued 25-year-old Anthony Michael Westerman was a risk to public safety and a judge agreed.
Court documents outline a two-year period during which the rapes and assaults occurred. Three different victims were involved.
The first rape and assault happened in October 2017, according to court documents. Westerman and the victim had reportedly been drinking at a bar when he called an Uber to take them back to his house. Once here, he reportedly forced himself on top of the victim, who said she was falling in and out of consciousness.
At Monday's hearing, the prosecution said one of the victims hadn't come forward until now because she was concerned about ruining Westerman's reputation.
The next incident happened just under two years later on June 8. The victim was reportedly sleeping in Westerman's guest room when he woke her up and started a non-consensual sexual encounter.
Court documents said the third assault happened on June 22 when Westerman led a woman to a secluded part of a Baltimore County bar, put his hand on her waist and started kissing her without her consent.
"Although he is a police officer, he was not acting in the course of his duties at the time these events occurred," prosecutor Lisa Dever said. "These are all people that he knew; it's not as if he was going out and preying upon the public, but he was, in fact, preying upon people that he knew."
Westerman's parents and sister were in the courtroom Monday on his behalf, appearing noticeably emotional when the judge denied his bond.
Over the weekend, Baltimore County Police Chief Melissa Hyatt released a statement calling the allegations "reprehensible."
Westerman has been a Baltimore County officer since 2013 and had most recently worked in the Essex area. He is currently suspended without pay.
