Testimony continues in ex-Warren police officer's rape trial

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Day three of the trial of ex-Warren Police Officer Michael Edwards began with detectives taking the stand and reading text messages to the jury from one of Edwards' alleged victims.

Each victim, at some point, engaged in drug use or prostitution.

"She was claiming that there was an officer with our department that was blackmailing her for her to provide sex to him," Police Detective Nick Carney said.

That's the ball that got the investigation rolling. The texts read by another detective in court said, "He's done it twice and I have it on video, IDK, I don't know what to do because he does my daughter's exchanges and threatens my family."

A second victim in this case took the stand saying Edwards allegedly did the same thing to her, coercing her to have sex with him.

"There's a serious power dynamic," said the victim. "He was in uniform, he was in his cruiser he was on duty, I think that in and of itself kind of makes me obligated to do as he says," she said.

The victim continued to emphasize that she didn't want to do it.

"I would not have engaged in any type of sexual activity with whatever man unless I was being compensated for my services," said the victim. "Did you get paid for these services," asked a prosecutor. "Absolutely not," the victim replied.

The defense came back with claims that the sex was consensual.

"So you knew that he wanted to be in private with you, correct," asked the defense. "Yes," the victim replied. "Did you know that he wanted to be in private with you because something sexual was going to occur," the defense asked. "That was my understanding," the victim replied. "But nevertheless, you followed him voluntarily, correct." the defense asked. "Yes," the victim answered. "Knowing that there would be some sort of sex act, correct," the defense asked. "Yes," the victim answered.

The defense continued, asking the victim, "Is it true that you felt that if you did go and engage in sex, with Officer Edwards you might derive some benefit which would be a form of payment, correct?" the victim replied, "Potentially, sure," the defense then asked, "And that's one of the reasons you went, correct," to which the victim replied, "Sure."

The victim replied again later saying, "He'd been letting me drive around with my truck with no driver's license, also my car with no driver's license, he told me drugs had been disposed of it was almost like I felt obligated to do whatever encounter was about to happen. I felt like at that point, I was almost indebted to him."

The victim continued, "If you consider a benefit, me potentially staying out of trouble or not being...not having repercussions, then sure, I expected some sort of benefit." The defense then asked, "And that's why you went voluntarily, correct?" The victim replied, "I think I was more so obligated to consent."

The trial will continue Thursday morning.