An Independence police officer has been charged with statutory rape.
According to the Jackson County Prosecutor's Office, James M. Combs, 37, is accused of having a sexual relationship with a minor that began when the victim was as young as 14 years old.
“It really upset me. I wanted her to do something because that’s unfair,” Sierrah Martin, the victim’s friend said in an interview to 41 Action News.
Martin said the girl opened up to her at soccer field.
“Well it hurt my heart—it did— to hear that someone I care about that much was hiding this and there’s so many people you can look at and never think I would have never thought that was happening to her because she hid so well,” Martin said.
Investigators said Combs began inappropriately touching and having sex with the girl in December 2014 and lasted until June 2016.
“When he was upset, he would take it out on her and then eventually he would come into her room and start messing with her and she kind of got caught on and she was too scared to say no so eventually it got that point where he was doing that and she was allowing it because she was scared,” Martin said.
Martin’s boyfriend at the time picked up the phone and reported it.
In May, the Missouri Highway Patrol looked into the allegations at the request of the Independence Police Department.
The Independence Police Department said Combs, a 14-year veteran of the department, has not been performing his duties as a police officer since the complaint was filed.
In the cul-de-sac where Combs lives, neighbors couldn’t believe the accusations.
“I would not think that at all,” Peg Slater, a neighbor said. “But there's so much of weird that happens in the world that you don't know.”
Combs surrendered himself to authorities but was immediately released on a $75,000 cash only bond.
Under the conditions of his bond, Combs can’t have any contact with victim family members, any contact with the victim or anyone under 17 years of age and not to be within 1000 feet of schools or Boys or Girls Clubs.
Combs’ arraignment is set for Oct. 10 at 10 a.m. in Independence.
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