A 20-year veteran of the Trumbull Police Department accused of sexually assaulting a member of the department's police explorer program pleaded guilty in court Friday.
Court officials said 44-year-old William Ruscoe pleaded guilty Friday to one count of second-degree sexual assault. Ruscoe pleaded not guilty in April.
He's accused of sexually assaulting a girl in the police explorer program, now 18 years old, and sending inappropriate text messages to another, who is now 17, according the warrant for his arrest.
Trumbull police said Roscoe was suspended from duty after his arrest, pending the outcome of an internal investigation.
Ruscoe served as an adviser to the explorer program, which works with young people interested in law enforcement careers, according to Trumbull Police Chief Thomas Kiely.
Police said Ruscoe started swapping inappropriate photos with the 17-year-old girl in 2011, when she was 14.
The second victim, who is now 18, told police that Ruscoe started sending her inappropriate messages in 2013.
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According to the second victim, Ruscoe became sexually aggressive and kissed her one day while he was drunk. He then took her to a home in Trumbull and handcuffed her when things became sexual, the arrest warrant says.
Ruscoe was initially charged with second-degree sexual assault, third-degree sexual assault, fourth-degree sexual assault and tampering with a witness.
Court officials said he's due back before a judge Jan. 9.
