Verona Officer Accused Of Exchanging Pornographic Images With Minor Says He Thought Victim Was 18
VERONA, Pa. (KDKA) - "I would never have done anything that would have jeopardized my career and never would have had contact with anyone under the age of 18."
That's what 34-year-old Anthony Ogline told KDKA's Amy Wadas Thursday afternoon in an off camera conversation.
However, police said the victim in this case is actually 16.
Police said the victim met Ogline on the dating app Grindr about three months ago. The victim told police he told Ogline he was 17 and even asked Ogline if he was okay with that. The victim says Ogline replied saying, "That's okay. Consent is 16 years old."
Ogline denies ever saying that to the victim. He says the victim must have confused that comment with someone else and that the age on his dating profile was listed as 18, the minimum age requirement to use the app.
Ogline went on to say, "I'm hurt and frustrated and devastated at the whole situation. I was lied to."
Meantime, the victim told police they exchanged naked pictures of one another and met in person for the first time about three weeks ago.
Last Thursday, the victim contacted Ogline and had him pick him up from school while he was off duty.
The high school called Whitehall police because one of their students left school with an unknown man in a car.
Ogline told KDKA he did pick the victim up from school, but it was in a parking lot a few hundred feet away from the building.
The victim told police they went to Ogline's house in Verona where they drank and smoked marijuana.
Ogline says they never smoked marijuana, and if the victim had marijuana, he didn't know that.
The victim also told police Ogline kissed him and started to perform a sex act on him before falling asleep.
Ogline says he's also been a part-time police officer with Indiana Township since August, however, he says the department asked him for his resignation today. Indiana Township hasn't confirmed that yet.
As for Verona Police, the borough confirms he's been suspended without pay pending the investigation.
Stay with KDKA for the latest on this developing story.
