A former Nigerian-American police officer in the United States, Sinmi Asomuyide, has been sentenced to 40 years in federal prison for kidnapping and sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl he encountered while responding to a runaway report in Indiana.
Asomuyide, 33, a former officer of the Kokomo Police Department, was also handed three years of supervised release after his prison term.
The United States Department of Justice disclosed this in a statement published on November 5, 2026, adding that he was convicted in June following a five-day jury trial.
According to court documents, the incident occurred on June 30, 2024, when Asomuyide and another officer responded to a 911 call from the teenager’s father, who reported that his daughter had run away from home.
The officers eventually found her at the home of another underage girl and took her to the Kinsey Youth Centre.
However, prosecutors said Asomuyide turned off his body-worn camera upon entering the facility, violating departmental policy.
He subsequently took the teenager’s phone and used it to call his personal TextNow number before questioning her about her sexual history.
He also discovered a vape pen during a search and told her he would contact her later to return it.
The teenager was eventually released into the care of a family friend at her father’s direction.
Before leaving, she sent Asomuyide the username of one of her social media accounts, while he requested her TikTok username.
The two continued exchanging messages that evening, with the girl believing he intended to return her seized vape pen.
Prosecutors said Asomuyide later returned to the police station and requested overtime, claiming he needed to complete paperwork between 10pm and midnight.
Instead, he allegedly left the station and went to the apartment where the teenager was staying with the family friend, arriving in his police uniform and patrol vehicle.
He reportedly demanded to speak with her privately under the pretext of determining where she should stay.
However, prosecutors said he handcuffed her in the back of his patrol vehicle and drove her to an empty warehouse parking lot.
He subsequently uncuffed her, moved her to the front seat and sexually assaulted her before handcuffing her again and returning her to the apartment.
The victim reported the incident to her family and law enforcement authorities, prompting an investigation by the Indiana State Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
During a forensic examination of Asomuyide’s patrol vehicle, investigators recovered a dried semen stain from the centre console, which matched his DNA.
When questioned approximately a week after the incident, Asomuyide denied having sexual contact with the teenager.
He also claimed that she had contacted him through a work phone, although officers in the Kokomo Police Department were not issued such devices.
Further forensic examination of his mobile phone revealed that he had searched for phrases including “how to delete TextMe account” and “TextNow delete account” within hours of the assault.
Investigators also discovered that he had deleted a messaging application he used to communicate with the teenager.
Reacting to the sentencing, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, Tom Wheeler, condemned the former officer’s abuse of his position, saying, “This defendant exploited the badge in one of the worst ways imaginable.”
He added, “What makes these crimes particularly disturbing is that he used the very tools, training, and authority entrusted to him as a police officer not only to assault a vulnerable child, but to try to conceal it.”
Wheeler said the evidence had exposed Asomuyide’s attempts to cover up the crime, adding, “Today’s sentence sends a clear message that no one can use the authority of the badge as a shield from accountability.”
Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division also said the government took abuses of authority seriously, particularly those committed by law enforcement officers entrusted with protecting the public.
“This defendant will be held accountable for the kidnapping and sexual abuse of a child. We hope the victim will be able to recover and prosper despite this horrific episode,” she said.
The FBI’s Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge, Timothy J. O’Malley, described the incident as a calculated abuse of authority, saying, “The very people entrusted with protecting children must never become the ones who victimize them.”
He added, “This defendant preyed on a 14-year-old girl and then attempted to cover up his crimes. That kind of calculated abuse is unconscionable.”
The investigation also uncovered a previous allegation of sexual misconduct involving a minor during Asomuyide’s employment with the Portsmouth Police Department in Virginia.
According to the Justice Department, he was forced to resign following an allegation that he had sexual intercourse with a 15-year-old girl while off duty.
When he subsequently applied to join the Kokomo Police Department, he reportedly misrepresented the circumstances surrounding his departure, claiming he was forced to resign because he had been “hanging out” with a 17-year-old girl who told him she was 19.
The Justice Department said the jury found Asomuyide guilty of depriving the teenager of her constitutional rights under colour of law, with the conduct involving kidnapping and abusive sexual contact with a child under 16.
He was also convicted of lying to investigators and destroying records in an attempt to conceal the assault.
The sentence was imposed by Chief District Judge James R. Sweeney II.
The Justice Department said the case was investigated by the FBI’s Indianapolis Division and the Indiana State Police.
