Former officer arrested on rape charges
By Nick Hiltunen
Published in News on September 11, 2009 1:46 PM
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Walter Finley Jr.
A former Goldsboro police officer is accused of first-degree rape and three first-degree sex offenses that allegedly occurred while he was still a patrolman, authorities said Thursday.
Walter Finley Jr., 40, of Edgerton Street, was jailed under a $1 million bond on Thursday afternoon, Goldsboro police Sgt. Chad Calloway said.
At least three victims are involved, all acquaintances of the patrolman, who worked for the department from 1995 through 1999.
Calloway said "there was no evidence" to show that Finley committed any of the alleged sexual offenses while actually on duty.
The sergeant said that information came from Investigator Paige Learn-ard's inquiry into the complaints against the former patrolman.
"Just through doing interviews as to how it all occurred, and it doesn't appear from what we heard, that any of it happened while he was working," Calloway said.
Police Chief Tim Bell would not comment on the specifics of Finley's employment, citing of state labor laws that govern how employers may speak about former employees. But he did say he that he did not really know Finley, as he was working primarily as a drug squad officer during Finley's tenure.
"I never worked with him on the street," Bell said. "I've never worked with him personally."
Police did not give a timeline as to when the alleged sexual assaults and rape occurred, although at least one incident occurred after Finley had resigned from the department, police said.
According to court records, Finley had no significant criminal record before police announced the charges and his arrest on Thursday afternoon. Two traffic- and Department of Motor Vehicles-related offenses in 1996 were dismissed by prosecutors, records show.