(FORT WAYNE) - A Bluffton man who previously worked for multiple law enforcement agencies in northeast Indiana has pleaded guilty to a rape charge stemming from a 2023 incident.
Conner Esmond, 29, entered the plea Friday in Allen County court. In exchange, prosecutors agreed to a nine-year sentence, with three years to be served in prison and six years suspended. He would also serve three years of probation following his release.
Esmond formerly worked as a confinement officer in Allen County, a patrol officer in Bluffton, and later as a patrolman in Dunkirk.
Court records indicate the case involved a Fort Wayne woman who told investigators she met Esmond through the dating app Bumble. She alleged he assaulted her in her home despite her objections.
Investigators say Esmond later sent the woman a text message stating he "should've 100% respected" her wishes. Esmond told police the encounter was consensual.
Formal sentencing is scheduled for next month, pending approval of the plea agreement by Allen Superior Court Judge David Zent.