Benton police officer charged with rape

An officer with the Benton Police Department was arrested Wednesday and charged with one count of rape, according to Arkansas State Police spokesman Bill Sadler.

Lt. Monte Hodge was taken into custody by special agents with state police and booked into the Saline County jail in lieu of $25,000 bond, Sadler said. Sadler added that no more information about the case is available at this time due to the active investigation.

According to a statement from Benton police, Arkansas State Police notified the department on Oct. 26 that “an officer with our agency was allegedly involved in an off-duty incident they were investigating." Hodge immediately was placed on administrative leave pending the results of the investigation.

Hodge has been a Benton police officer for more than 18 years, according to the statement.

The internal investigation is ongoing.

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