A former Draper City police lieutenant has been charged with sexually abusing a co-worker who was in the process of recovering from breast reduction surgery.
The Salt Lake County’s District attorney brought the charges against Chad Carpenter on Tuesday, after an investigation that revealed the lieutenant had repeatedly harassed the colleague, believing the two maintained “a special relationship.”
“She was invited into his office and told to shut the door and when she did so it’s alleged that he walked up to her lifted her shirt up and undid her bra and squeezed her breasts,” says Sim Gill, Salt Lake County’s District Attorney. “She was shocked by this and traumatized by this,”
The interaction occurred on January 31 between the lieutenant and a police detective, referred to as G.H. in court documents.
The documents state that after Carpenter “squeezed her breasts, three times each, skin to skin,” the detective left the office in tears. Two weeks later, the woman told police that Carpenter approached her at her and desk professed his love.
“She has been having anxiety and is stressed every time someone mentioners Carpenter,” the documents read.
In early March, the detective came forward with the allegation, filing a complaint with Draper City. The city placed Carpenter on administrative leave. One week later, he resigned from his post.
Now, after an investigation by the Unified Police Department into the lieutenant’s conduct, the District Attorney has decided to charge Carpenter with two counts of forcible sexual abuse, a second-degree felony. His bail has been set at $50,000.
Carpenter’s attorney has not responded to requests for comment.