A former Salt Lake City police officer is facing felony charges for allegedly having an illegal sexual relationship with a parolee.
Robert Tilton Hinds, 42, of Salt Lake City, was charged last week in 3rd District Court with one count of custodial sexual relations, a third-degree felony. The declaration of probable cause included in charging documents is based on statements from the parolee, identified only as D.C., and from a detective with the Unified Police Department, which is conducting the ongoing investigation.
The parolee states that she and Hinds were in a sexual relationship between May 6, 2018 and November 30, 2018 and that he was aware of her status, “as Hinds had talked with D.C.’s parole officer prior to their relationship beginning.”
“Hinds stated that they had sex every day and D.C. thought their relationship was serious,” court documents state.
A Unified Police search of the parolee’s phone revealed messages between the pair arranging to meet up for sex, sexually explicit voice messages from Hinds and an audio recording of him threatening her.
A spokeswoman with the agency said Thursday morning that Hinds was placed on administrative leave immediately after the allegations surfaced and that he resigned shortly afterward.
It is illegal in Utah for a correctional officer, law enforcement officer or an employee or private contractor for the Department of Corrections or a county jail to have sexual relations with a prisoner or anyone under correctional supervision, including parole or someone at a work release facility.
