FAYETTE COUNTY, Pa. — A former Connellsville police sergeant accused of trading sex with a 16-year-old girl in exchange for his promise not to arrest her and her boyfriend was in court Monday to face an alleged victim in a separate – but similar – case.
Ryan Reese, 42, is charged with involuntary deviate sexual intercourse and corruption of minors in the case involving the 16-year-old. However, he’s facing charges of rape and official oppression from an incident in 2012 after Reese arrested the alleged victim for drug possession.
The victim testified Wednesday that he threatened that she would go to jail for three to five years, but offered her options to avoid prison.
She testified that Reese told her she could do three “control buys” or pose as a prostitute online, and later said she could perform a sex act. The victim told the judge that she felt it was a better option than going to jail.
She went on to say that she met Reese after hours twice at the Drug Task Force building, where Reese was a supervisor, and once in his police cruiser. She testified that Reese was in full uniform each time he coerced her to perform sex acts on him.
Prosecutors asked if the victim would have performed the sex acts if Reese wasn’t holding the charges against her.
“I wouldn't have agreed to any of it if I didn't have charges hanging over me,” the victim testified.
Reese’s attorney argued the sex acts were not forced. While leaving court, Reese said his record would prove his innocence.
Aside from the case involving the teenager, Reese is also involved in a third case in Westmoreland County in which he’s accused of having sex with a Smithton area woman he had arrested in 2011 for selling seven stamp bags of heroin.
Facing charges of rape, sexual assault, unlawful restraint, false imprisonment, official oppression and indecent assault in the 2011 case, Reese’s preliminary hearing is set for May 5.
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