A Florida Highway Patrol sergeant is slated to be demoted and a trooper who had a sexual relationship with her was reprimanded, the agency said Monday.
Sgt. Angel F. Rogers admitted in a sworn interview that she had a sexual relationship with a subordinate trooper of Troop E in Miami for about a year starting from mid-2012, FHP Director Col. David H. Brierton wrote in a letter to Rogers dated Dec. 11.
Trooper Donche Robinson got a letter that same day from Capt. Mary Lathrop reprimanding him for violating the Code of Conduct.
Robinson admitted that he showed another trooper cell phone video of a sex act while he was on duty, according to Lathrop.
Rogers was also accused of having a sexual relationship with a second trooper under her supervision, but she said they only hugged and kissed on the cheek occasionally, according to Brierton's letter.
Rogers also acknowledged that it was not appropriate for her to have a sexual conversation with that subordinate, Brierton wrote.
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Rogers, who is married, is the Florida Coalition of Black State Troopers' treasurer and is a sergeant with 12 years experience.
Rogers exchanged emails with Robinson at least 53 times using her State of Florida email, Brierton said in his letter. Rogers admitted that they met one time outside the trooper’s mother’s house, beside their patrol vehicles, to discuss their relationship, according to Brierton.
“The trooper admitted under oath that he recorded one of your sexual encounters on his personal cellphone and played the recording for another trooper while on duty and you responded under oath that you were not aware of any video depicting a sexual act between the two of you,” Brierton wrote to Rogers.
At the time of their sexual relationship, Rogers often exercised supervisory oversight of the trooper when his supervisor was not available, and Rogers did not disclose their sexual relationship to her direct supervisor or any other supervisor, Brierton wrote.
The FHP director said that Rogers committed five violations, including violating the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles’ ethics policy on supervisory relationships and the FHP’s code of conduct. Rogers’ violations constituted two disciplinary offenses – a first offense for conduct unbecoming a public employee and a first offense for violation of law or agency rules, Brierton wrote.
The FHP director told Rogers that the department was proposing to demote her to the rank of trooper. The agency also said it would reassign her to Troop K in Snapper Creek in Miami-Dade, thus cutting her pay by about 10 percent.
Robinson was reprimanded for violating the Code of Conduct, Lathrop wrote.
Sources said Robinson recorded the sex with Rogers in an effort build a record to protect himself.
Robinson had no comment, FHP union representative Bill Smith said.
Brierton also detailed a second set of allegations against Rogers.
“You also admitted that a female trooper met with you and accused you of having a sexual relationship with her husband, who is also a trooper under your supervision. You stated that you did not have a sexual relationship with her husband and that you only hugged and kissed him on the cheek on occasion,” Brierton wrote.
Rogers said under oath that at one point the two of them had an “adult conversation” in which they talked about sex. And she ultimately acknowledged under oath that having a sexual conversation with a subordinate was not appropriate, Brierton wrote.
Sources said Rogers used her ability to change shifts, work assignements and possibly affect promotions in an effort to pressure the men to engage in sex.
Rogers has not responded to NBC 6's requests for comment.
Rogers had until the close of business Monday to tell the FHP whether she would fight her demotion and attend a conference where she could refute or explain the charges against her, according to Brierton.
Sources from the level of troopers to top FHP officials said they are disappointed that such an investigation had to take place, and said it is not representative of the agency.
No video was supplied to the Office of Inspector General or the FHP during the investigation, FHP Capt. Nancy Rasmussen said in an email. She said the department's policies speak for themselves.
The FHP policy that Robinson has been reprimanded for, and that Rogers was accused of violating, says that its members’ conduct on and off duty should reflect favorably on the division. It prohibits them from engaging in conduct that discredits the integrity of the division, or its employees.
