Former OHP Trooper Charged With Rape

Adrianna Iwasinski, News 9 and News9.com

UPDATE: GUTHRIE, Oklahoma – The Logan County District attorney has charged a former Oklahoma Highway Patrol trooper with second-degree rape.

Patrick Venable, 27, resigned June 29 after OHP began investigating allegations of sexual misconduct against him. In July, OHP officials said the investigation had been ongoing for several weeks, but they would not reveal details of the allegations.

Venable said nothing as he walked into court on Tuesday, wearing a coat and tie, instead of his trooper uniform.

"His dream was to be a trooper," said Carl Hughes, Patrick Venable's attorney. "And he was living the dream so to speak and he thought that what happened was such that... he should go ahead and resign."

Inside the courtroom were his parents and his attorneys. Venable waived hearing the charges against him and was given a $10,000 bond.

But his attorney says he will fight the second-degree rape charge to prove he's not guilty of the crime.

"I don't believe any crime has been committed here," Hughes said.

The Logan County District Attorney disagrees, saying he waited for results of the OHP investigation before leveling the charge.

Now the man whose dash cam showed him preventing a drunk driver from hitting a work crew on the Bell Isle Bridge in January, now stands accused of pulling over a woman suspected of driving drunk, driving her home, and then having sex with her while he was still on duty.

"Yes rape in the second degree," said Tom Lee, Logan County District Attorney. "Meaning she was in the custody of a state official and had sexual intercourse with her while she was in custody."

The woman's attorney, Irven Box, says he's surprised by the charge. But he says it took a lot of courage for his client to come forward.

And Box says one of the reasons she came forward was she fears this may have happened to other women. But so far, the DA says no other women have come forward.

Venable was processed at the Logan County Jail but was free on bond Tuesday night. His next court date is set for September 22. If convicted of second-degree rape, Venable faces one to 15 years in prison.

7/22/11 Related Story: Accusations Of Sexual Misconduct Rock OHP

7/22/11 Related Story: OHP Trooper Resigns After Sexual Misconduct Alleged