INDIANAPOLIS — An IMPD officer is accused of raping a domestic violence victim he had responded to help.
That officer, Myron Howard, has since been terminated by the department. He is formally charged with rape, criminal confinement, official misconduct and other misdemeanors.
At a hearing April 4, a judge placed Howard on a $100,000 bond. If he posts bond, Howard will be on GPS monitoring and cannot have firearms. His next hearing is set for the end of May.
According to police, Howard was called with other officers to a home on Olney Street, near East 25th Street and North Sherman Drive, on Jan. 6 for a domestic violence call. A man was taken into custody during that incident.
Howard then allegedly returned to the scene after other officers left. According to court documents, Howard allegedly told the female victim, "you know you could've went to jail too, but I didn't say anything, so I need you to do something for me."
Howard turned his body-worn camera off during the incident, according to the court documents. Police said they verified this because the device was missing nearly 20 minutes of GPS data during the alleged incident. His patrol car GPS showed he had returned to the woman's home after the domestic violence call and was there for approximately 17 minutes.
"I felt obliged to do what he tells me,” the alleged victim told police.
She said her boyfriend was arrested again in February for domestic violence and that Howard came to her home after other officers left. That time, she said she told him to leave her alone and didn't open the door to her home.
When questioned, Howard claims he was doing patrols in the area after the domestic violence call and the woman waved him down and the sex was consensual. He claimed he didn't talk to her after that. The woman submitted screenshots from her home of text messages Howard allegedly sent her and a call he made.
In a separate incident in August 2023, another woman said Howard was helping her after a car crash. She said he then came back and offered her a ride home. She said he told her that she needed to buy him gas or have sex with him. She said she offered gas money, but he told her it needed to be sex. She said the two had sex and then he drove her home.
"The allegations made in the probable cause affidavit are deeply disappointing and disturbing,” IMPD Chief Chris Bailey said. “His alleged actions not only violated his sacred oath to our community, but he abused his power and took advantage of a victim when she was most vulnerable. His actions do not represent the brave women and men who serve Indianapolis with integrity every single day. My prayers are with the victim during this difficult time."
Howard had been with IMPD for one year and was assigned to North District prior to being terminated.
Victim’s attorney speaks out
Attorney Mark Nicholson said he received a call from a woman claiming she was sexually assaulted by an IMPD officer in January.
He then contacted IMPD, which later launched an investigation.
“It’s one of those things that I would consider to be a travesty, a misuse, an abuse of power,” Nicholson said. “We trust the police to uphold the law and when someone is in law enforcement and they violate that trust, it is especially heinous.”
He believes there are other victims out there and encourages them to speak up to prevent this from happening to anyone else.
“If people don’t come forward then this reign of terror, this abuse can continue to happen,” Nicholson said.
He called his client “brave” for coming forward.
Advocates fear there may be other victims
“I was horrified,” said Kelly McBride, who runs the Domestic Violence Network in central Indiana.
That’s how she felt after reading the allegation that an IMPD officer sexually assaulted a woman minutes after she was assaulted by her boyfriend.
“This woman had experienced domestic violence, so trauma in her home. Then called law enforcement who is supposed to be there to help her, and they took advantage of their power and control in a very delicate situation and sexually assaulted that woman,” McBride said.
She said domestic violence and sexual assault are the two most underreported crimes.
She said there are likely more survivors who haven’t spoken up.
“There are 100 percent more victims that haven’t come forward. The ones who have done it are so brave and the ones who haven’t done it yet ... you can. Resources are available to assist you through this traumatic time in your life,” she said.
You can find those resources through the Domestic Violence Network.
“My advice to other survivors is you are not alone. You can find solace in others who have experienced it and there are support groups available,” McBride said. “You don’t have to suffer in silence.”