A former Leesburg Police officer is accused of raping a woman during a house-warming party in March, the Lake County Sheriff's Office said Tuesday.
- Former Leesburg Police officer accused of raping woman
- Sexual battery was reported following house-warming party
- Dennis Lyle Putnam, 24, was arrested Tuesday on charges
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Dennis Lyle Putnam, 24, was charged with sexual battery stemming from the party the man reportedly had at his home.
Putnam entered a guest bedroom where the woman was sleeping off the effects of alcohol when he committed the sexual battery, according to an arrest report.
"She told him it is 5 a.m. and he should be in bed with his girlfriend in the other room," the report states. "He got into bed and she asked him to leave but he continued."
The investigation had been ongoing since the complaint was filed more than three months ago.
Putnam was hired by the Leesburg Police Department on Dec. 29, 2016. He was in the department's field training program for about two months at the time of the complaint.
Detectives said they learned the suspect was Putnam after they began their investigation and then turned the case over to the Lake County Sheriff's Office.
Putnam was relieved of duty March 5 as a result of the complaint. His employment was terminated March 20.
"As with any criminal investigation, we seek justice and work diligently to serve justice under any circumstance," said Lt. Joe Iozzi, of the Leesburg Police Department. "We have no further comment regarding the arrest."
Putnam was booked into the Lake County Jail on $10,000 bond.