CHARLESTON, W.Va. — A former West Virginia Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation Parole officer was sentenced Thursday for sexually assaulting a female officer.
According to court documents, Anthony DeMetro, 44, admitted to the act, which occurred sometime around April 16 of 2021.
Demetro was served a sentence in federal court in the Southern District of West Virginia to 15 years, with five years of supervised release, and he has to register as a sex offender. Registration as a sex offender is due for violating the civil rights of a female parolee.
“We thank the survivor for having the courage and strength to come forward to tell her story,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Department of Justice will continue to hold accountable public officials who exploit their power and authority to sexually assault and harm vulnerable people.”
On or around that date two years ago, DeMetro, who was a parole officer in Parkersburg, said he used physical force on the female parolee to make her perform a sex act on him. DeMetro admitted that he knew the parolee did not want to have sex with him, but forced her into doing so anyway.
“This office will continue to hold people accountable who use their position of power to sexually assault vulnerable victims,” said U.S. Attorney Will Thompson for the Southern District of West Virginia. “I want to thank the victim again for being brave enough to come forward, even though she was putting her personal safety and freedom at risk.”
The FBI Pittsburgh Field Office investigated the case.
“Mr. DeMetro was in a position of power and authority,” said Special Agent in Charge Mike Nordwall of the FBI Pittsburgh Field Office. “He used that authority to take advantage of and prey on a vulnerable woman. This behavior was in violation of the oath he took and cannot be tolerated. The FBI will continue to aggressively investigate color of law abuses by public officials.”