Former Hutchinson police officer, Todd Allen, has been sentenced to 27 years in prison for multiple counts of sexual assault and kidnapping. His victims have reported these crimes beginning in 2012, with the most recent happening in June 2022. Allen’s modus operandi was to pose as a police officer or park security officer and stop females in parking lots or at parks. He would ask them about drugs and insist that they follow him to the back of their cars or somewhere nearby for a search. Instead, he touched them inappropriately and sexually assaulted them. Allen’s victims were between 14 to 50 years of age and feared he would be their last encounter for sexual assault.
After his arrest in August 2022, Allen pleaded guilty to 12 counts of felony charges related to sex crimes and five misdemeanors related to the breach of privacy. He was eventually sentenced for 24 counts in the end. Part of his plea agreement was to serve a minimum of 20 years in prison, register as a sex offender, and reimburse the court for related fees.
The prosecution argued that Allen was a serial offender who used his badge to take advantage of innocent women. “Todd Allen violated the trust that every citizen places in the police department and used that trust for his own sexual gratification,” said Senior Assistant District Attorney, Brett Watson.
Several victims shared their experiences in court, talking about their ongoing challenges in moving on from the assaults. One stated that she cannot watch a cop show without a panic attack, while another testified that she still has nightmares and visual flashbacks to the assaults.
While Allen’s sentence has brought some closure to his victims, many are calling for systemic changes to police departments’ hiring policies and continuing education to prevent future offenders.
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