A former Burlington Police Officer is accused of a forcing a woman to have sex with him while he was on duty.
Matthew Baumhardt was charged with three felonies, misconduct and two counts of third-degree sexual assault.
The criminal complaint said an intoxicated woman asked the officer for a ride home July 29. "She stated that when he patted her down he put his fingers under the leg bands of her 'spanx'....."
The complaint said Baumhardt "told her that he would do her a favor and give her a ride home but said to her 'would you be down to do me a favor?'"
Baumhardt took the woman to the old water treatment facility and that's where he apparently had her perform oral sex and intercourse.
He was wearing a body camera, but didn't turn it on, according to the complaint.
The officer said the woman initiated the sexual contact and said "if he did not have sex with her and give her a ride home she would make a complaint against him for "raping" her."
The complaint said the woman "did not tell the defendant “NO” at any point because he was a police officer, he had a gun, and a dog, she was afraid he would retaliate, and/or force her physically to engage in sex with him, and she feared that he would leave her at the building and not give her a ride home. She has stated she did not want to engage in these sexual acts but did so because of the
reasons stated above."
Baumhardt's attorney resigned on his behalf August 23 in a letter to the Chief. He was hired in 2011. Baumhardt was the department's K9 Officer. Police are in the process of replacing him.
The former officer's initial court appearance is scheduled for Sept. 13.
