A De Soto man who works as a Johnson County Community College police officer faces first-degree rape and sodomy charges in Kansas City.
Jackson County Prosecutor Melesa Johnson announced the charges Thursday, Sept. 24, against Rodrigo Sanchez-Flores, 27. He is accused of sexually assaulting a woman near a Westport club in 2024. The charges, one count each of first-degree rape and first-degree sodomy, were filed in Jackson County Circuit Court.
According to court records first reported by the Kansas City Star, the victim went to a club in Westport on the evening of Sept. 28, 2024. Kansas City, Missouri, police responded to a disturbance call just before 6 a.m. on Sept. 29, 2024. The victim told officers she had been sexually assaulted by a man in his vehicle. She reported waking up in the vehicle with no memory of leaving the club, court documents state.
The victim told police she did not consent to sex. Sanchez-Flores told police the sex was consensual, according to court documents.
Prosecutors said witness accounts and surveillance footage showed the victim was too intoxicated to consent.
A Sexual Assault Forensic Exam, known as a sexual assault exam, identified male DNA on the victim. A subsequent DNA analysis found "very strong support" that Sanchez-Flores was a contributor of the recovered DNA, according to the prosecutor's office.
Detectives also recovered 11 videos and four images from Sanchez-Flores' cellphone, according to a probable cause statement cited by KMBC. One video allegedly shows a man and woman having sexual intercourse.
Sanchez-Flores was arrested and made his initial court appearance Wednesday, Sept. 23. A Jackson County judge set his bond at $100,000 cash only.
He remains in custody.
Court records did not list an attorney for Sanchez-Flores as of Thursday, Sept. 24. The Kansas City Star and KSHB both reported reaching out to Johnson County Community College about Sanchez-Flores' employment status with the campus police department. Neither outlet had received a response as of Thursday afternoon.
Charges are allegations. Sanchez-Flores is presumed innocent until proven guilty. No next court date has been announced.
Anyone with information about sexual assault can contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-4673.
