Baltimore County Police Officer Convicted Of Rape, Assault

TOWSON, Md. (AP) — A Baltimore County police officer has been convicted of raping a woman and assaulting another, the county state's attorney's office said.

Anthony Westerman, 27, was found guilty of two counts of second-degree rape and other offenses from the 2017 incident, and second-degree assault from a 2019 incident on Friday. Prosecutors said he offered to get a woman an Uber from a bar in 2017, but instead took her to his house and raped her, news outlets report. Westerman is suspended without pay, police said.

Detectives began investigating Westerman in 2019 after being notified of at least three women who allegedly were assaulted, police said previously.

Westerman's attorney Brian Thompson said Monday that he is "very disappointed" with the verdict. He said the department was pressured to bring charges against Westerman.

Thompson said the case has "procedural and evidentiary irregularities," and that he intends to file a motion for a new trial and appeal.

Westerman is being held on home detention until sentencing, which is scheduled for Nov. 19