Indiana cop tracks down a 14-year-old runaway. Then he allegedly handcuffed her, stalked her, and assaulted her in his squad car

A federal jury in the Southern District of Indiana has officially convicted Sinmi Asomuyide, a former Kokomo Police Department officer, following a five-day trial. The jury found him guilty of multiple federal charges stemming from his on-duty sexual abuse of a 14-year-old and attempts to obstruct the investigation into his conduct. In a formal statement, the Department of Justice noted that Asomuyide’s actions involved kidnapping and sexual contact with a child under the age of 16. 

According to The Sun, Asomuyide first met the girl when he was tasked with locating her, as a probationary officer, after she ran away from home. The victim reported that during an initial encounter, he drove her to a local youth center but stopped in a parking lot to ask inappropriate questions. He eventually returned her to her residence, but not before exchanging phone numbers with the minor. The victim explained that Asomuyide then used her number to stalk her. 

Per her statement, he eventually showed up at her home and demanded she leave with him. He then handcuffed the girl, forced her into his squad car, and drove her to an abandoned parking lot, where he sexually assaulted her. The investigation into these events revealed that Asomuyide then attempted to cover his tracks by lying to the Indiana State Police and deleting a messaging application he used to communicate with the victim. 

The DOJ sees Asomuyide as an abuse of power

Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division stated, “Police officers are entrusted with extraordinary authority and responsibility to protect the public. The defendant’s reprehensible actions betrayed that trust. This verdict sends a clear message: officials who abuse their power and violate the constitutional rights of children will be held accountable.”

As noted by U.S. Attorney Thomas Wheeler II for the Southern District of Indiana, “While this administration strongly supports the men and women of law enforcement who are steadfastly committed to making our communities safe, we will not tolerate those who abuse the powers entrusted to them. The defendant used those powers to sexually assault a 14-year-old girl and then lied and destroyed evidence to cover up his crimes. The jury saw through his lies and held him accountable for his crimes.”

FOX 59 confirmed that Asomuyide faced prior charges in Howard County in 2024. These included minor sexual misconduct, sexual battery, child seduction, and official misconduct, which were dismissed as the federal case moved forward. 

The federal jury ultimately found him guilty of willfully depriving the victim of her constitutional rights. The evidence presented during the trial reportedly made it clear that the defendant abused his position of authority to isolate and harm a vulnerable minor.

Special Agent in Charge Timothy J. O’Malley of the FBI Indianapolis Field Office emphasized the severity of the situation in his post-trial comments. “The defendant used his position of trust and the appearance of assistance to isolate and assault a child, then took steps to obstruct the investigation by destroying records and lying to law enforcement. These actions reflect a complete disregard for the law, the victim, and the public trust.”

He further added, “The FBI and our law enforcement partners will continue to aggressively pursue justice for victims and hold offenders fully accountable.” The legal proceedings have concluded with a guilty verdict on all counts, including kidnapping and witness tampering, as the defendant specifically attempted to hide corroborating evidence that would have linked him to the teen. 

Asomuyide now faces up to life in prison. However, he isn’t the only official who is under fire for potentially abusing their power. In Colorado, four out of seven officers from a Sheriff’s office are facing charges ranging from excessive force to abuse of a corpse. In Texas, the city of Trinidad is facing questions after they allegedly arrested a woman for a Facebook post, where she exposed the city’s filthy water.