WEST VIRGINIA
Former West Virginia Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation Parole Officer Anthony Demetro, 44, pleaded guilty Friday in federal court to violating a female parolee’s civil rights by sexually assaulting her, officials stated.
During the plea hearing, Demetro admitted that on or about April 16, 2021, he used his position, authority and status as a state parole officer to force a female parolee to perform oral sex on him against her will.
At the time, the parolee was participating in residential drug and alcohol treatment as a condition of her parole.
Demetro admitted that he knew that the parolee did not want to have sex with him but that he coerced her into doing so anyway, for his own sexual gratification.
“The defendant abused his position of power and trust by sexually assaulting a vulnerable woman who was trying to re-enter society,” said U.S. Attorney Will Thompson for the Southern District of West Virginia. “This immoral and illegal conduct will not be tolerated in this District. I commend the female victim who was brave enough to come forward, even though she knew she was putting her own personal freedom at risk.”
With his guilty plea, the defendant faces a 15-year sentence, with a maximum of five years of supervised release and registration as a sex offender under the Federal Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act.
A sentencing date has been set for April 20.
The FBI Pittsburgh Field Office investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Kathryn E. Gilbert and Daniel E. Grunert of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Monica Coleman and Nowles Heinrich for the Southern District of West Virginia prosecuted the case.