Desmond Logan
A former Chattanooga Police officer was sentenced on Wednesday afternoon to serve 20 years in federal prison for rapes while on duty.
Judge Curtis Collier gave the maximum sentence to Desmond Logan.
If he had been charged for the three rapes that prosecutors say occurred along with two sexual assaults on other women, he would have faced 30 years to life, the judge noted.
Logan earlier pleaded guilty to violating the civil rights of two of the rape victims. As such he faced 10 years on each count.
Logan at first declined to make a statement. When Judge Collier said it might be important for him to do so, Logan started out, "I guess I'd like to apologize."
He said, "Everything is not as it appears. I'm not a bad person. I've made several mistakes, but I never, ever hurt anybody."
Logan maintained that he has "not had one bad day since I've been incarcerated. I'm actually very close to God."
Prosecutor James Brooks said, "The abuse of an arrestee is truly horrendous. This conduct should warrant a hefty sentence."
Judge Collier said. "When a law enforcement officer breaks the law, it breeds distrust for the law and that breeds anarchy."
He said the crimes committed cast a shadow "on every person wearing a badge."
Logan will be recommended for a sexual offender evaluation. He will be on the Sex Offender Registry when he gets out. He will be on supervised released for three years after finishing the sentence.
“The Department of Justice will vigorously prosecute officers who commit sexual
assault,” said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband of the Civil Rights Division. “This case
is a reminder that sexual assault allegations involving law enforcement officers should be fully
investigated. The Department will continue to take such allegations seriously and work to
vindicate the Constitutional rights of those who are victimized by officers acting under color of
law.”
“The actions of Desmond Logan jeopardized public safety and violated the trust of the
citizens of Chattanooga he swore to protect. This case exhibits our continued efforts to prosecute
those who would abuse their authority to commit acts of violence and injustice against members
of our community,” said U.S. Attorney J. Douglas Overbey of the Eastern District of Tennessee.
“Our office will continue to stand by and protect the victims of such crimes.”
"Civil Rights violations, particularly when they involve a member of law enforcement,
are of tremendous concern,” said Special Agent in Charge Joe Carrico of the FBI’s Knoxville
Field Office. “The entire law enforcement profession is tarnished when an officer betrays the
oath to protect and serve. The FBI will vigorously investigate any officer or agent of the law
who is breaking the rules that he or she is sworn to uphold or is violating the civil rights of
others."
This case was investigated by the Knoxville Division of the FBI, with the support of the
Hamilton County Sheriff's Office. Assistant United States Attorney James Brooks of the Eastern
District of Tennessee and Special Litigation Counsel Fara Gold and Trial Attorney Olimpia
Michel of the Criminal Section of the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice
prosecuted the case.
A sentencing memorandum in the case says, "During the early morning hours of June 12, 2018, the defendant, while on duty as a CPD police officer, handcuffed and arrested (Victim 1). Rather than transporting her directly to the Hamilton County Jail, he drove her in his squad car to an empty and isolated parking lot. There, the defendant, without her consent, sexually assaulted her, "resulting in vaginal pain and bruising."
In a second case, on the evening of Jan. 2, 2016, the defendant, while working a security detail at UTC, entered the passenger seat of (Victim 2)'s car and asked for a ride to his own car, which he claimed was parked in a different parking lot. The defendant then directed her to an empty and isolated parking lot. He took out his taser and put it against her leg, causing her to fear for her physical safety. When she tried to get out of her car to escape, the defendant prevented her from doing so, making her believe that he was going to rape and possibly kill her. The defendant ultimately got out of her car without causing significant physical harm to her, "though the trauma of the defendant’s conduct has long since stayed with her."
Prosecutor Brooks said there are two additional uncharged sexual assaults described in the plea agreement follow the same pattern as the first case. One of those was not considered at the objection of defense attorney Sam Byrd.
Officials said, "During the night of July 31, 2015, the defendant, while on-duty as a CPD police officer, arrested a woman. Rather than transporting her to the Hamilton County Jail, the defendant drove her in his squad car to a secluded area where, without her consent, he sexually assaulted her. She immediately reported the sexual assault to CPD, and underwent a sexual assault nurse examiner’s (SANE) exam or rape kit. That evidence remained untested by CPD until years later, when she reported the defendant and the FBI launched an investigation.
"The second uncharged sexual assault occurred during the night of May 30, 2016, when the defendant, while on duty as a CPD police officer, arrested another woman. Rather than transporting her to the Hamilton County Jail, the defendant drove her to a secluded area, where, without her consent, he made her put her mouth on his private area.
"The federal investigation established that the defendant, in addition to the two crimes set forth in the Information, sexually assaulted two more women while serving in his capacity as a police officer. As part of the plea agreement, the defendant admitted that he also committed these additional uncharged sexual assaults.
"A fifth assault, about which the United States learned after the defendant entered his guilty plea, and although beyond the reach of federal jurisdiction, establishes that the defendant’s predatory behavior was not confined to his actions as a police officer. During the evening of Aug. 8, 2015 - just over a week after the defendant had sexually assault another woman, she and her then-boyfriend went out socially with the defendant and other friends. They all slept at the defendant’s house. The woman and her then-boyfriend slept on the couch. Her boyfriend woke up early on the morning of Aug. 9, and went to work. She remained asleep, but awoke to find the defendant sexually assaulting her."