CLEVELAND — Two days after a judge found Matthew Piter guilty of gross sexual imposition in a case involving two women in separate accusations from 2017 and 2019, the 28-year-old has resigned from the Cleveland Divsion of Police.
Piter was found not guilty of rape in the case. Piter's attorney Henry Hilow said they won't be commenting until after sentencing February 28. Piter faces a maximum sentence of 3 years in prison.
Ashley Spencer first came forward to 3News last year to share how a match on a dating app with the police officer ended with her not consenting to sex. Following Spencer's story, Lauren Little came forward sharing a similar experience she had with Piter two years earlier.
“The evening began like a normal date would begin,” Spencer said recounting the alleged incident from October 2019.
She said the “unexplainable happened that no girl wants to go through.”
“When I would say 'no,' he just repeatedly still did what he wanted to do.”
Piter, who was arrested on Halloween 2019, was later indicted in early January 2020. Piter maintained his innocence and his attorney previously released a statement saying his client’s reputation “has been severely damaged.”
The Cleveland Division of Police released the following statement after the Monday verdicts: "Cleveland Police Officer Matthew Piter was found guilty of 2 fourth degree felony counts of Gross Sexual Imposition in Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court. Matthew Piter was suspended without pay pending the outcome of the judicial proceedings and will remain suspended without pay pending the administrative disciplinary process. Piter, 28, was hired in 2016. He was most recently assigned to the Second District."
Previous Reporting:
- Suspended Cleveland police officer convicted of gross sexual imposition, found not guilty of rape
- Survivors feel relief after suspended Cleveland police officer convicted of gross sexual imposition
- 2nd accuser publicly comes forward with rape allegations against Cleveland police officer
- EXCLUSIVE: One of two women accusing Cleveland police officer of rape speaks out for the first time