A former deputy constable from Harris County's Precinct 4 is facing charges of sexual assault over accusations that he used his authority to coerce and assault women. Ray Thompson, the officer in question, has been charged with two counts relating to incidents that are said to have occurred in October 2022 and September 2023. According to ABC13, one of the alleged assaults took place while he was still employed by the constable's office.
Thompson, who was working off-duty at the Galleria, allegedly lured an 18-year-old to a hotel room where he provided her with alcohol before the assault. The young woman reported waking up with pain that indicated a sexual assault had taken place. After the Houston Police Department notified the precinct of the investigation, Constable Mark Herman stated that Thompson was removed from patrol duties and placed on dispatch. Refusing to cooperate with their internal investigation, Thompson resigned a short time later. "This is a former Precinct 4 deputy who was essentially using his uniform to intimidate these women," Assistant District Attorney Kimberly Smith was quoted in an ABC13 interview.
The second victim, a mother walking her son to school, reportedly experienced repeated attempts by Thompson to get her attention before she too was lured to a hotel and assaulted in a manner similar to the first incident. Prosecutors have voiced concerns that there may be additional victims and are asking for them to step forward. In response to these charges, Thompson's attorney, David Kiatta, has pushed back, explaining that they have been cooperating with the police throughout the two-year investigation. "We're just waiting for this day so he can be charged so we can clear his name in front of a jury trial," Kiatta told ABC13. However, he declined to comment on the specifics of their defense strategy.
FOX26 Houston reports that court documents allege Thompson raped a woman who was unaware that a sexual assault was occurring and, in a separate event, drugged another woman with Benzodiazepine before committing the assault. His resignation came in November 2022 after he opted not to cooperate with the internal investigation at the constable's office, where he had been relegated to an administrative role with no public interaction. Thompson's bond has been set at $50,000 as the case proceeds towards a potential trial.
