Victim testifies in case of TPD officer accused of child sex crimes

5/15/2018
BY JENNIFER FEEHAN
BLADE STAFF WRITER
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    Former Toledo Police Department Detective Michael E. Moore, Sr., is charged is with two counts of unlawful sexual conduct with a minor and two counts of compelling prostitution after allegedly paying the teen for sex on two occasions.

    The Blade/Jetta Fraser
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  • She had sex with strangers for money. She stole from relatives. She lived in five different foster homes.

    And, a 16-year-old Toledo girl testified Tuesday, twice she had sex with Toledo police Officer Michael E. Moore, Sr. — the first time at a local motel for $50, the second time at a Rugby Drive apartment for $20. She was 14 at the time.

    The young woman said she did not know Mr. Moore was a police officer the first time, but she did the second time.

    “When he started taking his stuff off, I kind of seen the badge and he tried to hurry up to hide it, and I kind of got nervous,” she said.

    On the second day of Mr. Moore's trial in Lucas County Common Pleas Court, the alleged victim admitted to the jury that she once tried to get money from Mr. Moore by telling him she was pregnant and needed money for an abortion.

    Assistant county prosecutor Frank Spryszak
    Assistant county prosecutor Frank Spryszak

    “Were you in fact pregnant?” Frank Spryszak, an assistant county prosecutor, asked her.

    “No,” she said.

    “And did you indicate that it was your intention to obtain an abortion with the proceeds, with the money you would get?” he asked.

    “Yes,” she said.

    “What was your real intention in trying to get the money?” Mr. Spryszak asked.

    “Just to have money,” she said.

    Mr. Moore, 45, is charged with two counts of unlawful sexual conduct with a minor and two counts of compelling prostitution after allegedly paying the teen for sex on two occasions between August, 2015, and November, 2016.

    A longtime member of the police department's vice-narcotics unit, Mr. Moore took himself off the city payroll after his indictment on the charges in November, 2016.

    Defense attorney Lorin Zaner has portrayed the alleged victim as a liar and a thief who would do anything for money. He displayed several escort and prostitution ads that she admitted placing in which she said she was 19 or 20.

    He also played for the jury a voice message she left for Mr. Moore in which she threatened that he “was going to jail” if he did not give her money for an abortion.

    “That's you, isn't it?” Mr. Zaner asked.

    “Yes,” she replied.

    “And were you pregnant?” he asked.

    “No,” she said.

    “You were trying to scam money, right?” Mr. Zaner asked.

    “Yeah,” she said.

    Mr. Moore is expected to take the stand in his defense as early as Wednesday.

    Contact Jennifer Feehan at: jfeehan@theblade.com or 419-213-2134.