OHP Trooper Charged With Sexual Battery During A Traffic Stop In Craig County

A trooper for the Oklahoma Highway Patrol has been charged with sexual battery and forcible sodomy in Craig County.

The probable cause affidavit says it happened when trooper Jackie Rhinehart pulled over the driver of a semi for speeding on March 7. It says it happened on I-44 near Big Cabin.

It says the driver who speaks broken English, stated that Rhinehart began to gesture toward the sleeper of the semi and she understood that to mean he wanted a sexual encounter.

It says after giving her a warning, he got into the semi and rubbed his genitals on her leg and after she got out of the cab, he indicated he wanted her to perform a sex act. It says she felt afraid and thought about recording the encounter or calling 911 but was concerned that would cause more trouble.

It says Trooper Rhinehart can be seen pointing at his chest and quietly saying the word camera. It says even though the traffic stop was over, he went back to his patrol car, stopped the in-car recording, and repositioned his patrol car so it no longer showed the cab of the truck.

It says the woman says he returned to her truck and she felt pressured to perform the sex act.

Oklahoma Highway Patrol released the following statement about the incident

"Following an investigation by the Oklahoma Highway Patrol’s Criminal Investigations Section, Craig County District Attorney Matt Ballard’s office filed two felony charges today against Jackie Lee Rhinehart: forcible oral sodomy and sexual battery. 

The incident was uncovered by an OHP supervisor who was performing a routine check of dashcam video. The video centered around Rhinehart making a traffic stop while on duty then his unusual interactions with the truck driver. That came to light on March 13, 2024. 

The discovery of highly questionable behavior by Rhinehart led to a thorough investigation including contact with the alleged victim. Rhinehart is currently on administrative leave. An internal investigation is in its final stages.  

Department of Public Safety Commissioner Tim Tipton says “Rhinehart’s actions are not in keeping with OHP’s core values of honesty, loyalty, integrity, respect, self-discipline, and professionalism. As soon as we discovered the potential for criminal or unethical behavior, our agency took swift action. Rhinehart’s behavior is deplorable and has no place within the organization. The public puts great trust in law enforcement and we strive every day to be deserving of that trust.” 

Rhinehar's lawyer also issued a statement in response to the accusations:

Trooper Jack Rhinehart is a 25 year dedicated member of the Oklahoma Highway Patrol. The charges filed today in the District Court of Craig County are denied by Trooper Rhinehart. The alleged victim did not report any crimes to the Oklahoma Highway Patrol. Her statements were made weeks after being contacted by the Patrol.

This case is based upon circumstantial evidence only. There is no direct evidence of these alleged crimes.

Trooper Jack Rhinehart is innocent of these allegations! We will vigorously defend these charges.