Charges filed against ex-Hurricane officer

Criminal charges have been filed against a former Hurricane police officer accused of sexually assaulting a woman.

Nathan F. Amosa, 24, was charged in 5th District Court in St. George on Monday with forcible sodomy, a first-degree felony; and two counts of second-degree felony forcible sex abuse. He is scheduled to appear in court Thursday.

Hurricane police received a complaint of officer misconduct on Friday, and Amosa was placed on administrative leave. The Washington County Sheriff's Office conducted a criminal investigation, and the case was forwarded to the county attorney's office.

According to a probable cause statement filed with the charges, Amosa was on-duty responding to a call when the alleged sexual assault occurred. Detectives wrote in an affidavit that under questioning, officer Amosa admitted to coercing the victim into performing a sex act on him and fondling her.

"Amosa stated that he used his authority and the threat of a citation for child neglect in order to obtain sexual favors from the victim," Washington County sheriff's detective Nolan Gray wrote.