Officer arrested on multiple counts of rape, assault charges involving minor, records show
Officer Curlon Edwards
By Jake Shindel, Kate Amara
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BALTIMORE, Maryland (WBAL) — A Baltimore police officer is suspended without pay on multiple felony rape and assault charges involving a 16-year-old girl, online court records show.
Officer Curlon Edwards, 34, has been suspended without pay, according to city police.
In court charging documents obtained by 11 News, the girl alleges that the two were at Edwards’ house when he asked to see her phone to determine whether she was cheating on him. She tried to get her phone back, but Edwards did not give it to her, charging documents allege.
The charging documents allege Edwards put the girl in a chokehold until she lost consciousness.
According to charging documents, Edwards handed the girl his service weapon and “told her to shoot him because he was afraid that she was going to tell people what happened.” Edwards told detectives that it was his unloaded duty weapon.
The girl said she did not feel like she was allowed to leave Edwards’ house, and was chased while running around his house.
The girl said Edwards “told her he wanted to have sex,” which the girl claimed was consensual.
According to investigators, Edwards said the sex took place after the two made up and he admitted to nearly everything else, including that, after he choked her, they went to Walmart “to buy concealer for her marks on her neck that he says were caused from when he choked her.”
During unrelated remarks Wednesday morning at City Hall, Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott commented on the case, saying “We want this individual held to the highest standard of law, just like we would a regular citizen. It does not matter to me that this person is a police officer. We’re talking about a 16-year-old girl.”
Edwards’ public defender on Wednesday pushed the court to release his client from jail, saying Edwards is a college graduate who has cooperated and complied with the arresting officers. The attorney argued that Edwards, a veteran of the BPD of two and a half years, has an occupation that puts him at very serious risk in jail.
But the judge disagreed, citing multiple felony charges and ordered Edwards to remain held without bail.
The public defender offered no comment outside court.
BPD said its Public Integrity Division will work with the Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s Office throughout the investigation.
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