Police in Newton Falls are investigating an Ohio Parole Officer already charged with raping or having sexual contact with women on probation that he had been assigned to monitor by the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction.

Newton Falls Police Chief Eugene Fixler tells 21 News his detectives had already been investigating Keith Cooper, 50, of Brimfield, when he was indicted by a Portage County Grand Jury earlier this month on charges of rape, gross sexual imposition, and sexual battery.

According to investigators in Portage County, Cooper raped a 39-year-old Ravenna woman he had been assigned to monitor.  

Cooper also allegedly had sexual contact with a 28-year-old Ravenna woman on parole who was assigned to him.

The third and fourth counts of the indictment allege that Cooper had sex with a 41-year-old Streetsboro, Ohio woman under his supervision.

Chief Fixler says his department became aware of similar accusations that allegedly took place in Newton Falls and has been working with police in Streetsboro and other Portage County authorities on the investigation.

"She came forward and made a complaint that he had used basically this authority in his job by coming to her house and the rest is part of the investigation," Fixler said. "Police officers are supposed to be honorable - now once again he is not a police officer, he's a parole officer - but he took an oath of office of upholding the law and upholding his job. And with the allegations against him, I'm very disappointed."

Cooper has not yet been charged in Trumbull County according to Fixler who calls the case "extremely complex," and tells 21 News that investigators are waiting to see if other alleged victims come forward.

Cooper was arraigned in Portage County Court on Tuesday and is free on bond and is scheduled to go on trial in November.

A spokesperson for the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction says Cooper was placed on paid administrative leave in July of 2017 in connection to "employment conduct and an ongoing criminal investigation". Cooper was primarily assigned to probation cases in Portage County.

The Streetsboro Police Department is the lead agency overseeing the investigation into this case.

If you are a victim or have any information, contact the Streetsboro police at 330-626-4976.