January 9, 2009
Mother reports deputies to FBI
Daughter alleged police rape in September
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CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- The mother of a woman who says she was raped by three Logan County law enforcement officers says deputies have harassed her and her daughter since then.

The woman, who did not want her name used in this story for fear of revealing her daughter's identity, said she contacted the FBI after two Logan County sheriff's deputies followed her and her daughter around in early December.

After passing two deputies several times as they went through Logan, the woman says she went into City Hall and left her 22-year-old daughter in the car. The same two deputies pulled up behind her, the woman said.

"So after the fifth time of seeing the same ones, it was time to get out of town," the woman said. "I'm afraid to let [my daughter] go into Logan by herself. I won't let her."

The deputy driving wasn't one of the three accused of raping her daughter, she said, but they couldn't see the deputy in the passenger seat.

"We see them every time we go down the road from our house," she said. "We've seen more cops up here since all this happened than in the whole year before that we lived here."

The woman said that when she contacted the FBI, she was told they would investigate the alleged harassment.

Jay Bartholomew, supervisory special agent with the FBI in Charleston said he was aware of the allegations but would not say if an FBI investigation was being conducted.

State Police have completed an investigation into the alleged rape. Logan County Prosecuting Attorney John Bennett said State Police have given him part of their findings and he is waiting for the complete report.

"I can't tell you whether the case is open or closed," he said. "Some information has been submitted and some hasn't."

The three officers remain on duty, said Logan County Sheriff Eddie Hunter. No internal investigation was being conducted, he said.

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