Officer cleared of crime in sex case

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) – A Providence police officer being investigated for sexually assaulting a woman while on duty has been cleared of criminal wrongdoing by a Providence county grand jury, the Target 12 Investigators have learned.

Amy Kempe, Spokesperson for the R.I. Attorney General’s office, said the grand jury returned a “no true bill” – meaning they declined to indict the officer – on Tuesday.

Providence police have not named the patrolman in question but confirmed last month that they along with the Rhode Island State Police were conducting the investigation.

Providence Police Commander Thomas Oates said incident will now become a personnel matter and the department will be pursuing disciplinary action. Oates said the officer remains suspended with pay.

Law enforcement sources said the officer was responding to a domestic call between a boyfriend and girlfriend at the time. The patrolman allegedly had some type of sexual contact with the 19 year-old woman who was part of the domestic dispute.

The officer is a 15-year veteran of the police force.

The patrolman's attorney, Artin Coloian, declined to comment when reached by phone.

Tim White ( twhite@wpri.com ) is the Target 12 investigative reporter for WPRI 12 and Fox Providence. Follow him on Twitter: @white_tim

An earlier version of this story incorrectly reported the officer was suspended without pay. The officer is suspended but is still on the payroll per the Officer's Bill of Rights.