Former Police Officer Arrested for Rape After Sexual Assault Investigation

State of DE - Delaware State Police have arrested a former law enforcement officer on rape charges following a lengthy sexual assault investigation. William Paskey, 33, of Harrington, Delaware, was taken into custody on May 5, 2026.

The investigation began in May 2025, when detectives from Delaware State Police Troop 3 Criminal Investigations Unit started looking into a sexual assault allegation against Paskey. Investigators learned that the incident took place nearly three years earlier.

According to detectives, Paskey met the female victim on a dating app in September 2022. He invited her to his residence in Felton, Delaware, for a date. The victim told investigators that during the visit, Paskey became aggressive and engaged in nonconsensual sexual acts with her, ignoring her repeated requests to stop.

At the time of the incident, Paskey was employed as a law enforcement officer, though he was not on duty.

After working with the Delaware Department of Justice, investigators obtained a warrant for Paskey's arrest. He was taken into custody without incident and transported to Troop 3 for processing.

Paskey was charged with Rape Second Degree, a felony offense. He was arraigned before Justice of the Peace Court 2 and later released after posting a $20,000 secured bond.

Paskey has a history of employment in law enforcement across both Delaware and Maryland.

Between 2014 and 2021, he worked for several Delaware police departments, including the Dagsboro, Ellendale, and Blades Police Departments. Most recently, he served as a police officer for the Town of Ridgely Police Department in Maryland.

Detectives believe there may be additional victims in this case. Anyone with information or who believes they may be a victim is urged to contact Sergeant P. Taylor at (302) 698-8547. Tips can also be submitted by sending a private Facebook message to the Delaware State Police or by contacting Delaware Crime Stoppers at (800) 847-3333.

Disclosure: All individuals mentioned in this article are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Eastern Shore Undercover® does not express or imply any opinion regarding the incident reported.