An ex-Maryland police officer convicted of raping a woman and assaulting another was sentenced to prison time — but will stay on home detention pending an appeal.
Anthony Michael Westerman, a former Baltimore County cop, was convicted in August of second-degree rape for attacking a 22-year-old woman at his home while off-duty.
Westerman, 27, plied his victim with alcohol at a White Marsh bar in October 2017.
Baltimore County State’s Attorney Charles Shellenberger said the “predator” cop was also convicted of assaulting another woman in 2019, grabbing her multiple times and trying to kiss her at a bar in Middle River.
Baltimore County Circuit Court Judge Keith Truffler sentenced Westerman Friday to 15 years in prison — though he suspended all but four years. Westerman will remain on home detention pending his appeal of the sentence, which was stayed, the Baltimore Sun reported.
“I do not believe that in this particular case that home detention is an appropriate sentence,” Shellenberger said in a statement to The Post. “A police officer should know as well or better than others the reprehensibility of such an act. I fear this could cause rape victims to hesitate to report their crimes if they do not feel like they will get justice.”
It’s unclear why Truffler suspended the bulk of the sentence.
Prosecutors said Truffler found there was “not evidence of any psychological injury” to the rape victim despite her saying she received therapy. The judge said in August that what happened to her may have been the “most traumatic moment” of her life, the Sun reported.
The second woman came forward in 2019 after Westerman was accused in the previous rape. Detectives started investigating him after being notified of at least three women who were allegedly assaulted. He was acquitted in connection to the third incident, the newspaper reported.
The cases were tried together without a jury and Westerman’s attorney, Brian Thompson, said prosecutors didn’t put evidence into the record about the rape victim’s trauma. The verdict was “clearly against the weight of evidence,” Thompson said.
Prosecutors said Westerman, who has been on house arrest following his conviction, had been suspended from the department without pay since he was charged. He had been terminated as of Monday, WBAL reported.
Thompson told the station in a statement that the judge “did the right thing” by not sending him to prison.
“This was a ‘he said, she said’ case in which everyone was intoxicated,” Thompson said. “We intend to appeal this conviction and we will not rest until Officer Westerman’s name is cleared.”
Thompson said sentencing guidelines called for Westerman to receive between five and 10 years. The 15-year sentence with all but four years suspended was in that range, he said.
But Shellenberger told the Sun Westerman is unlikely to serve prison time since his home detention will count toward time served and the appeal process is expected to be lengthy.
Maryland ex-cop convicted of rape gets home detention pending appeal - New York Post
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