GREENFIELD
– A central-Indiana police lieutenant suspended after being accused of trying
to get fellow officers to ticket his ex-wife now faces a felony charge of
promoting prostitution.
The
charge was filed Wednesday against Lt. Terry Austin of the Greenfield Police
Department after an internal investigation said it found text messages that he
offered two women $200 to have sex with him and a visiting policeman from
Florida, the Indianapolis Star reported.
The
internal investigation began after Austin, 42, of McCordsville was arrested in
April on bribery and misconduct charges for allegedly offering fellow officers
a $200 steak dinner to pull over and ticket his ex-wife.
Court
records indicate a friend who’s an officer with the Port St. Lucie Police
Department in Florida was in town visiting family when he sent Austin a text
message Jan. 13 asking whether Austin had found him a date, and Austin replied,
“I’m workn on it!!”
The
second woman told police the plan was never carried out. She said she had met
Austin through an online dating site.
Police
found no evidence the Florida officer knew Austin was offering money to the
women for sex.