Baltimore Officer Charged with Raping His Wife at Gunpoint

A Baltimore police officer has been suspended from the force after his arrest on charges that he raped his wife at gunpoint during an argument over her marital infidelity, according to court charging documents.

The 37-year-old officer, an Iraq war veteran, is charged with felonies that include rape, assault and using a handgun in the commission of a violent crime. The officer, whom The Baltimore Sun is not naming to shield the woman's identity, is being held at the Baltimore City Detention Center on $500,000 bail.

The officer joined the Police Department in February 2001 and was most recently assigned to the Special Operations Section.

The officer's attorney, Shaun Owens, declined to comment on the case.

Deputy Jonathan Este Charged with Rape of Minor

HARVEY, La.

Jefferson Parish Sheriff Newell Normand admits that this is a "sad day" for the JPSO as he announced the arrest of 25-year old Jonathan Este'.

Until his firing Monday night, Este' was a deputy assigned to the department's Third District Patrol Division.

He's now charged with forcible rape and three counts of carnal knowledge of a juvenile.

"The alleged incidents happened when Este' was 22 years of age and the victim was 13," Normand said.

The incidents happened before Este' joined the JPSO in January 2008.

According to investigators, the relationship between Este' and the young girl lasted from July 2005 through February 2006.

Details came to light Saturday, when deputies investigated a "family disturbance" at the victim's home.

"She described meeting Este' via a chart room and the relationship lasted approximately eight months," said Normand. "She described the first incident of sex with Este' as being a forcible rape and the remaining three incidents as consensual."

The department immediately launched a criminal investigation after hearing the victim's story.

The sheriff says Este' was arrested at the JPSO Detectives Bureau last night after he admitted to having sex with the girl four times.

"The problem is the credibly of the officer is impaired and that may have an effect on other cases," said Normand. "That's why we go after it with much fervor."

Normand says this case is a cautionary tale for parents and teenagers who visit chat rooms online.

"It's a very dangerous tool, the internet," said Normand. "You have to be very wary because it has become the prime medium for individuals that are predators."

Este' faces up to 70-years in prison. He remains in the Jefferson Parish Correctional Center. Bond is set at $82,500.

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Former Sgt. Mike Rodrigues Arrested on Fourth Rape Charge

Deputies arrested former Sheriff's Sgt. Mike Rodrigues today on suspicion of a fourth rape charge, and a judge later released him on his own recognizance, according to authorities.

Rodrigues was set to be arraigned today on suspicion of three previous rape counts alleged by a grand jury. While walking toward the San Benito County Courthouse, authorities "peacefully" took him into custody, said Sheriff Curtis Hill.

The sheriff, for the second time since Rodrigues' first arrest on rape charges in December, apologized to the community and also said he's "not happy" with the visiting judge's decision to release Rodrigues after authorities charged him with the additional rape count, along with two other felony counts alleging possession of firearms and ammunition while under a restraining order.

Authorities today also charged Rodrigues on three misdemeanor counts on suspicion of violating a restraining order.

The visiting judge, from Napa County, arraigned him on the prior rape counts and released Rodrigues on the condition that he agree to turn in his passport and not leave the county, Hill said. After Rodrigues' December arrest, the suspect posted the $300,000 bail and was released from the San Benito County Jail.

"While he was on bail he continued to violate the law, including possessing a gun and ammunition," Hill told the Free Lance. "These allegations are from citizens that live and work in this community. When people hear this they'll think, 'If I did that, I would be in jail.' That's what Joe Six-Pack is going to think. I am very disappointed in the judge's decision."

Although Hill said Rodrigues was peacefully arrested, defense attorney Arthur Cantu contended otherwise and argued the case is "nothing more than a witch hunt."

If you have seven or eight deputies grabbing you and forcefully putting handcuffs on you and putting you under arrest, that by definition is an incident," Cantu said. "How dare they file new charges? How dare they file new charges? This is nothing more than a witch hunt. This is nothing more than a vendetta between Mikey and his enemies in the sheriff's department."

An investigation of Rodrigues, a 25-year sheriff's office veteran, resulted in the December indictment alleging three counts of forcible rape, two counts of unlawful sexual penetration and one count each of spousal rape, domestic violence and attempted rape.

The sheriff today said he's sorry for the Rodrigues ordeal - he apologized emphatically in December after the indictment as well.

"I want to apologize to every man woman and child in San Benito County," Hill said today. "We work to build trust in the community, and these allegations break that trust down."

Former sheriff's Sgt. Mike Rodrigues in court in January. Rodrigues faces four counts of forcible rape, two counts of unlawful sexual penetration, two felony counts of possession of firearms and ammunition while under a restraining order, and one count each of spousal rape, domestic violence and attempted rape.