A Suspended Erie County Deputy Has Been Indicted For Crimes Against Women
A suspended deputy who worked at the Erie County Holding Center has been indicted for allegedly committing violent and sexual crimes against women. Erie County District Attorney John J. Flynn announced on Tuesday, April 26, 2022, that the 41-year-old Eden man was arraigned in the morning before State Supreme Court Justice Deborah A. Haendiges. Robert M. Dee was charged with the following misdemeanor offenses:
- One count of Forcible Touching
- Three counts of Official Misconduct
- Two counts of Criminal Contempt in the Second Degree
- One count of Tampering with a Witness in the Fourth Degree
Between March 19, 2019, and May 14, 2019, while working as a deputy in the Erie County Holding Center, Dee allegedly forcibly touched a female inmate in intimate areas of her body. He also allegedly got her phone number while on-duty and called her multiple times after she was released, which is a violation of protocol.
On October 22, 2021, while on-duty, Dee allegedly picked up a different female victim from a park in Hamburg. He drove the victim in his Erie County Sheriff’s Office patrol vehicle to his house in Eden and engaged in sexual conduct.
On December 9, 2021, just before 2 pm, officers from the Eden Police Department were called to Dee's home for a domestic dispute. He allegedly had physical contact with the victim. After he was arrested, an order of protection was put in place on behalf of the victim.
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Less than a month later, on January 4, 2022, he allegedly violated the order of protection. After an emergency call was placed, Erie County Sheriff’s deputies responded to Dee's home and found the victim inside.
Between January 18, 2022, and February 20, 2022, he allegedly contacted the victim, violating the order of protection again. He allegedly asked her not to comply with court orders related to help him avoid facing punishment for his alleged crimes.
Dee is due back in court on Monday, May 9, 2022, at 11:30 am. Shockingly, he is only facing a maximum of one year in jail if convicted on all charges.