Washington Co. Officer Accused Of Tipping Off Prostitute Heading To Trial
WASHINGTON (KDKA/AP) - A suspended southwestern Pennsylvania police officer has waived his right to a preliminary hearing on charges that he tipped off a woman he used to date about a prostitution sting.
The Observer-Reporter says Joshua Rush, 39, of North Strabane, waived Tuesday's hearing on obstruction of justice and other charges.
Rush, an officer for the Washington, Pennsylvania police, allegedly texted 31-year-old Beth Ann Davis to warn her on Sept. 17 of an undercover sting by the Washington County district attorney's office.
According to the police criminal complaint, Rush has been texting a prostitute he had a sexual relationship with for several years. Police said Rush arrested Davis for prostitution in 2007 then proceeded to date her for about five years.
When police busted the prostitute during an undercover operation, she showed them a string of text messages between herself and Rush, in which he allegedly said he would distract officers from paroling the area in which they found the woman — an area known for a large amount of prostitution.
After obtaining a search warrant, police were able to confirm that the number the woman was texting did belong to Rush's personal cell phone.
Davis, of Wheeling, West Virginia, faces a preliminary hearing in December on charges that she offered another undercover officer sex for "donations."
By waiving the hearing, Rush must now stand trial or work out a plea bargain.
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