Officer charged with attempted sexual assault under investigation for similar incident

A Bullhead City police sergeant charged last week with attempted sexual assault in Laughlin was already a suspect in an ongoing rape investigation.

An Arizona college student said she was raped by the officer, 37-year-old Jesse Hoag, in Bullhead City early the morning of Oct. 3. The woman knew Hoag from Mohave Community College, where he taught classes, according to a probable cause affidavit. She told investigators she contacted Hoag for help preparing for the testing process to become a police officer.

The two had beers at the Hideout Bar in Laughlin before driving to Arizona in his Dodge Ram truck, the affidavit said. The woman told investigators she at first consented to have sex with Hoag in the truck. When she told him to stop he threatened to hurt her and “held her against her will and forced her to engage in sexual intercourse,” the affidavit said. Hoag then drove her home, apologized and said he would turn himself in.

Bullhead City police spokeswoman Emily Fromelt said Hoag was placed on paid administrative leave later that day and the Kingman police department was asked to conduct an investigation of the woman’s allegations. Kingman Detective Dennis Gilbert wrote the affidavit and his search warrant materials indicated the woman’s broken eyeglasses were found in Hoag’s vehicle.

Swabs were taken of the seats in the vehicle as part of the investigation.

The Kingman police report of the Oct. 3 incident is under review by the Coconino County Attorney’s office in Flagstaff. The Mohave County Attorney’s office sent the investigation for an outside review because it has some working history with Hoag.

That Hoag was under investigation and suspended was not a matter of public information until Hoag was arrested for a separate incident last week. Las Vegas police arrested him before 7:00 a.m. Oct. 22 after another woman said he tried to rape her.

Metro said the woman told investigators she met Hoag at a Laughlin bar, that they left together early that morning and that Hoag tried to sexually assault her in his vehicle. Police said the woman was able to flee after a brief struggle and that she returned to the bar and called police.

Hoag surrendered hours later, was booked into the Laughlin jail and released after posting bond.