Testimony continues in former Connellsville cop’s rape trial
The second trial day of a former Connellsville Police officer started with the cross examination of the alleged rape victim by the defense.
The alleged victim, a 35-year-old woman, testified on Monday that she was arrested by Ryan Reese, 44, when he was a member of the Fayette County Drug Task Force in early 2012, following a controlled drug purchase with a confidential informant.
The woman said she had asked Reese what she could do to avoid jail time, and Reese allegedly had her perform oral sex on him on three separate incidents, where one of those incidents led to sexual intercourse to reduce the charges.
Following the third incident, she said she never heard from Reese and the charges against her never came up again.
The Herald-Standard does not identify alleged victims of sexual assault.
Reese’s attorney, Charity Grimm Krupa, asked the woman if Reese ever threatened her with physical force or if he pulled down her pants when they had sexual intercourse. The woman testified he did neither.
Krupa later made a motion to dismiss some of the charges against Reese, including rape and sexual assault, because no physical force was ever used, but Fayette County Judge Steve Leskinen denied the motion because case law states physical force is not the only requirement for rape.
Krupa also challenged the woman’s honesty, pointing out differences between her testimony Tuesday and what she told investigators.
When Tpr. James Aughinbaugh, the lead investigator, took the stand and was cross examined by Krupa, the attorney pointed out what she considered to be inconsistencies in the woman’s story.
That included the third incident when the woman performed oral sex on Reese. The alleged victim testified on Monday he was sitting in the driver’s seat and she was in the passenger seat when it happened; however, she initially told Aughinbaugh that she was sitting in the passenger seat while Reese was standing by the passenger door during the incident.
Aughinbaugh answered that, in terms of the positions, her statement was different, but what the same thing was that she performed oral sex on Reese.
Deputy Attorney General Patrick J. Schulte asked Aughinbaugh if the woman’s statement were more consistent than inconsistent, which Aughinbaugh said they were more consistent.
Krupa also questioned the woman about her relationship with Reese, specifically about text messages and phone calls that were personal in nature about movies, TV shows and family. Krupa also questioned the woman about “several” photographs of her in lingerie and partially nude text messages sent to Reese.
“Were you attracted to Ryan Reese?” Krupa asked.
“Sort of,” the woman testified.
Schulte later asked the woman if there was a difference between finding someone attractive and wanting to sleep with them.
“Yes,” she told Schulte. “I think you’re attractive, but I don’t want to sleep with you.”
Krupa also asked her why she didn’t call 911, go the hospital or tell anyone else in the drug task force about what had happened between her and Reese.
“I felt if I told anyone, I would go to jail,” she said.
The one person she did tell was her drug dealer and friend, who the woman said she hadn’t spoken to in two years when she got clean. The dealer called her in 2015 to say she wanted her to speak to the police about what happened with her and Reese.
Krupa asked the alleged victim if she decided to testify against Reese to help that friend with a plea agreement she made after being arrested in 2015.
Both Krupa and Schulte stipulated to the jury that the woman’s friend received house arrest in exchange for her help with the case against Reese.
“I wasn’t aware she was facing any charges,” the woman testified, adding that she didn’t call the dealer’s arresting officer to speak about the incident, but then spoke to Aughinbaugh, when he arrived at her house to speak of the incident.
Schulte asked the woman if coming forward has made her life better or worse.
“Worse,” the woman said before getting emotional. “Everybody knows — my family, the people at my church. I didn’t want anyone to find this out. This is humiliating.”
Another witnesses called by the prosecution was Det. Stephen Cooper, the supervisor with the Fayette County Bureau of Investigation, which was formerly the Fayette County Drug Task Force. Cooper and Reese were both supervisors in 2012.
In his testimony about the layout of the task force building, Cooper mentioned various posters on the walls of the building including the bathroom that the woman testified on Monday to seeing.
Krupa asked Cooper if those posters were large and distinct, and he said they were.
Schulte asked Cooper if confidential informants or those arrested were permitted in the building. Cooper testified they were not.
“We wanted to keep it confidential and keep it low profile,” Cooper said. He testified that is for the safety of the officers, and because the building contained drug evidence and police equipment.
At the end of the day on Tuesday, the prosecution rested with the defense expected to present their case on Wednesday.
Reese is free on appeal bond from a prior conviction on the charge of corruption of a minor.