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RACINE - "I did not do it."
Those are the words of Racine Police Officer Damen Lowe as
recorded in the criminal complaint filed Wednesday accusing him of repeated
sexual assault of a 15-year-old girl.
Lowe, a 10-year veteran of the department, was charged in
Racine County Circuit Court Wednesday afternoon with sexual assault of a child
under 16, repeated sexual assault of a child, exposing a child to harmful
material and two counts of physical abuse of a child. If convicted he faces up
to 135 years in prison.
The 34-year-old patrol officer was arrested Monday by Racine
County sheriff's deputies after an investigation prompted by the Racine County
Human Services Department into allegations that he abused the teenage girl.
According to the complaint, on April 30, Lowe confronted the
girl at her school about who she had been text messaging. When she wouldn't
tell him, he allegedly grabbed her, took her into the teacher's lounge and
locked the door.
The girl told authorities Lowe handcuffed her and then
brought her to his home. Later that same day, Lowe allegedly struck the girl in
the leg with his belt.
When interviewed by a sheriff's investigator, Lowe
reportedly admitted to handcuffing the girl at school, but denied hitting her.
As part of the investigation, arrangements were made for the
teen to be interviewed at the Child Advocacy Center. The complaint states that
during that interview, the girl said Lowe had inappropriate sexual contact with
her multiple times over the last three years.
Following that interview, sheriff's investigators questioned
Lowe again. "(Lowe) made two statements regarding the allegations,
stating, 'I did not do it,' and 'She is a liar,'" the complaint says.
John Campion, Lowe's defense attorney, said in court
Wednesday that his client maintained his innocence and the charges against him
were based on the word of one person. He successfully argued for a $5,000 cash
bond for Lowe when the state had recommended $100,000.
"The source of these charges is one individual,"
Campion said. He also said that the allegations of long-time abuse by Lowe were
only first being reported now. "That should give us all pause," he
said.
Court Commissioner Alice Rudebusch ordered the $5,000 cash
bond, along with a $50,000 signature bond. Other conditions of Lowe's bond
include no contact with the victim or any children, that he be placed on house
arrest with a GPS tracking device, that he not possess or have access to any computers
and possess no weapons.
Lowe, who worked third shift patrol and as a liaison officer
for the Racine Unified School District, has been jailed in Kenosha County since
his arrest.
He is currently on paid administrative leave, according to
police department spokesman Sgt. Bernie Kupper. Lowe will remain on paid leave
for the duration of the investigation and trial process pending the outcome of
the court proceedings and an internal review, Kupper said.
Lowe is expected back in court on May 27 for a preliminary
hearing.
The case will stay in Racine County, said Deputy District
Attorney Rich Chiapete. However, after the filing of the criminal complaint and
initial appearance Wednesday - which were handled by the Racine County District
Attorney's Office - a special prosecutor will be brought in from Waukesha
County, Chiapete said.