INDIANAPOLIS — Felony charges have been filed against a longtime IMPD officer accused of secretly recording sexual encounters with women while on duty and in uniform, at times using his department-issued laptop to film the illegal videos.
Shane Decker, 52, was charged this week in Marion County court with eight counts of felony voyeurism, official misconduct and unlawful proposition.
The charges come after various women said Decker - who has been with IMPD for 25 years - recorded sexual encounters without their consent.
Flash drive found
The investigation into Decker began on Sept. 10 when an IMPD officer using Decker's old squad car found a flash drive wedged between the seats.
Officials looked at the drive, which reportedly stored videos showing Decker having sex with a woman while in full IMPD uniform.
The drive contained video files named after various women that showed sexual encounters where the women didn't appear to know they were being recorded. Some of the videos were reportedly recorded on an IMPD department-issued laptop.
Decker was told about the investigation on the same day the flash drive was discovered but declined to speak to detectives without his lawyer present. Decker was then placed on administrative duty.
Police then seized his cell phone and applied for search warrants on his squad car and home. Eventually, several laptops, flash drives, recording devices and cell phones were seized.
'Violated, lied to'
Further investigation revealed that Decker was on duty and ignoring IMPD radio calls while he was secretly recording the sexual encounters. Detectives spoke with several of the victims who said Decker told them to help listen for any runs he was called to.
Court docs detail how videos show Decker purposely positioning recording devices in the corner of an empty room before a woman enters and is unwittingly recorded while they have sex. He would reportedly use light from a TV screen to illuminate the sexual encounter, sometimes gesturing toward the camera.
"During a point in the video, Shane Decker looks toward the recording device and smiles," one police report reads.
All of the women said they did not consent to being recorded. Furthermore, many of the women said they'd met Decker while he was on duty and they were involved with an IMPD investigation as a victim or witness.
"Sick, violated, lied to, embarrassed, used, everything possible," one victim described herself as feeling. "I'll never be the same."
"Who would do that? That's disgusting," another victim said. "This is so embarrassing. That's some Dateline s**t."
One of Decker’s victims told police the suspect had a low opinion of women in general and especially in the workforce.
"To him females were irrelevant," the victim said. "He would make multiple comments about any female on the department from a patrol officer all the way up to command staff, they were worthless, they did not ever need to be in law enforcement. Um, comments about their weight, the way they looked, the way they spoke. If they were a female that was married to another female even worse. Um, he has so much hate for people that are together of the same sex, people of a different minority. He does not think women should be in law enforcement, and overall, he thinks women are pretty much worthless."
While looking further into Decker's actions, one victim told detectives how he bragged about his investigations into human trafficking at local massage parlors. This would later lead detectives down a rabbit hole that unveiled more alleged crimes.
Recordings at massage parlors
While looking at Decker's seized cell phone, investigators found a video where he recorded himself inside the room of a massage parlor. After the initial massage, Decker is seen giving money to the masseuse before she removes her clothes and begins fondling the officer.
At least 10 more similar videos were found on Decker's phone, showing him set up a recording device inside a massage parlor room before the masseuse enters, takes off her clothes and has sex with him. Several of the videos reportedly show Decker giving the woman money.
Once again, investigators noted that the women shown in the videos did not appear to know they were being recorded.
A data search of Decker's personal phone showed that he'd recently accessed the website "rubmaps," which allows users to search for adult massage parlors in their area. Investigators then went to a northeast side massage parlor that Decker reportedly visited.
While several of the women working inside the massage parlor denied knowing anything about Decker or the videos, one woman reportedly told investigators she immediately recognized him. The woman said he'd come in two weeks earlier and that she "had a bad feeling about him."
"She said he had a special request," court docs state. "When asked what the request was, she became uncomfortable and would just say he was 'rude' and 'horny'."
While none of the women seen in the videos with Decker were able to be interviewed, a video was found of him using electrical tape to cover the red light on a recording device before walking into a massage parlor. Also, several of the videos recorded in the parlor were reportedly cut short after the women noticed the recording device was pointed at them.
Further investigation
After gathering ample information, investigators spoke with an IMPD sergeant who served as Decker's supervisor in the Vice/Human Trafficking division. The sergeant confirmed that Decker assisted the unit with investigations into adult massage parlors and human trafficking.
The sergeant told detectives that Decker would often work overtime outside of his normal shift when assisting the vice team. He also said that, due to working in vice, Decker would have working knowledge of the forums used to facilitate prostitution at the parlors.
"Shane Decker had access to which Asian Massage Parlors were being actively investigated and could use that knowledge in picking which one he had sexual intercourse in," court docs state.
Decker would reportedly go undercover at times into the parlors in order to try and receive a sexual proposition from the massage therapists, the sergeant said. However, the supervisor said that video recording has never been attempted.
IMPD's operating procedures for the division do not allow for sexual contact to continue after a proposition has been made and state that undercover detectives should "minimize sexual contact" with suspects. Anyone found to have sexual contact "past the necessary point" would face disciplinary action.
Charges filed
Given the evidence gathered against Decker, charges were filed against him Friday in Marion Superior Court 25. His charges include:
- Voyeurism (Level 6 Felony)
- Three counts
- Official Misconduct (Level 6 Felony)
- Two counts
- Public Voyeurism (Class A Misdemeanor)
- Two counts
- Making an Unlawful Proposition (Class A Misdemeanor)
- One count
Online court records now show that Decker made an appearance in court on Friday. His bond has been set at $1,000 cash. No initial hearing has been scheduled.
'Violation of public trust'
IMPD released a statement on Friday addressing the charges filed against Decker. In it, Chief Chris Bailey confirmed that the department has recommended Decker for termination.
"The allegations uncovered in this investigation represent a clear violation of public trust and are completely unacceptable. This behavior has no place in our society," said Chief Bailey.
Bailey said that Decker has been suspended from all police activity as they await the IMPD Civilian Police Merit Board's decision regarding his termination. IMPD said Decker was being paid while under investigation and that his suspension is now without pay.
"My heart goes out to the victims of this inexcusable misconduct, and I want to assure them that their voices have been heard," Bailey said. "I commend the courage and strength of those who came forward to help ensure accountability."
IMPD confirmed that Decker was most recently assigned to the department's Southwest District before he was recommended for termination.
Leaders with the Indiana Coalition to End Sexual Assault and Human Trafficking said the allegations are especially disgusting because they involve a member of law enforcement.
"This officer is further victimizing the very people he's supposed to be protecting," said Beth White with ICESAHT. "This is so disappointing to hear. This is an officer who is using information meant to protect and serve and instead, he's using that information to victimize vulnerable people. It’s unacceptable."
For her part, White praised the chief’s response to the allegations.
"I know it’s disappointing to hear this type of allegation against officers, but I also know they're trying to root out this type of misbehavior we're seeing," said White.