Former Nigerian police officer sentenced to 40 years in US prison for assaulting 14-year-old girl

A former Nigerian police officer, Sinmi Asomuyide, has been sentenced to 40 years in federal prison in the United States for sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl while serving with the Kokomo Police Department in Indiana.

The 33-year-old was also sentenced to three years of supervised release after being convicted in June 2026 of deprivation of rights under colour of law, witness tampering and destruction of records, the US Department of Justice said.

According to prosecutors, Asomuyide met the girl on June 30, 2024, after her father reported her as a runaway. He took her to a youth centre, switched off his body camera and used her phone to call his personal TextNow number. The two later exchanged messages, as the girl believed he would help her retrieve a vape pen that had been seized.

That night, Asomuyide reportedly left the police station after requesting overtime, picked up the girl from a family friend's apartment while wearing his uniform, handcuffed her and drove her to an empty warehouse parking lot, where he assaulted her.

The girl later reported the incident. Investigators found a dried semen stain in his patrol car that matched his DNA. His phone also contained searches about deleting his TextNow account.

The Justice Department further said Asomuyide had previously resigned from a police department in Virginia following an allegation that he had sexual relations with a 15-year-old girl. However, prosecutors said he misrepresented the circumstances surrounding his departure when applying to join the Kokomo Police Department.

Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon said Asomuyide would be held accountable, expressing hope that the victim would recover and prosper despite the ordeal.

US Attorney Tom Wheeler said the former officer had abused his authority and attempted to conceal his actions, while FBI official Timothy O'Malley said those entrusted with protecting children must never become their abusers.