KANSAS CITY, Kan. — A former Kansas City, Kansas, Police Department officer faces six charges of deprivation of civil rights, court documents released Thursday said.

The indictment alleges 69-year-old Roger Golubski used his authority as an officer to violate two women’s civil rights, sexually assaulting the unnamed victims between 1998 and 2002. Golubski’s alleged conduct includes aggravated sexual abuse and kidnapping.

If convicted of any of the counts, Golubski could be sentenced to life in prison.

The FBI said Golubski was taken into custody Thursday.

Earlier this morning, former Kansas City, Kansas Police Detective Roger Golubski was arrested and taken into custody by the FBI without incident at his residence in Edwardsville, Kansas.  At this time no additional information is available for release.

FBI statement

Golubski had his first court appearance Thursday at the federal courthouse in Topeka, wearing the same clothing he had one when he was arrested that morning.

His court-appointed attorney entered a not guilty plea on his behalf. The U.S. attorney made a motion to put Golubski behind bars until the trial. A detention hearing is scheduled for Monday.

In court, Golubski’s attorney expressed concerns about his client’s health, saying the 69-year-old has heart problems, renal failure and is insulin dependent — making detention an added challenge.

He was booked into the Shawnee County Detention Center on Thursday.

Local leaders react

According to KCKPD, the FBI has been investigating Golubski since 2019 regarding allegations. Chief Karl Oakman released a statement on the arrest:

I was notified this morning that former KCKPD officer Roger Golubski was indicted by a federal grand jury and arrested by the FBI.  This indictment is an example that no individual is above the law.  The department will continue to cooperate and offer any assistance needed by the FBI as this case moves forward.  The Kansas City, Kansas Police Department is committed to building community ties through transparency, integrity, engagement and safety.  All inquiries involving the indictment of Roger Golubski should be directed to the FBI, Kansas City Office.

Chief Karl A. Oakman, KCKPD

Golubski retired from the Kansas City, Kansas department in 2010, and worked in the Edwardsville Police Department until 2016.

Kansas City, Kansas Mayor Tyrone Garner shared a statement following the arrest:

Today’s arrest may bring comfort in the short-term but this is not the end. I stand by my commitment to support and welcome any independent outside investigations into any allegations of criminal misconduct by anyone within the Unified Government. While we never comment on ongoing investigations to protect the integrity of these efforts, I maintain my commitment to bring greater transparency and accountability to all aspects of local government, including public safety. As a former police officer and resident, I will continue to champion improvements in police-community relations to restore trust, particularly among our most vulnerable.

Mayor Tyrone Garner

The Wyandotte County District Attorney’s Office also issued a statement Thursday:

The Wyandotte County District Attorney’s Office was notified about the arrest of Roger Golubski, this morning. While it is important to note this is a federal case, the impact of Golubski’s alleged acts are local. Since 2017, this office has worked continuously with multiple agencies, including the FBI in an ongoing effort to bring about justice in this matter. It is our hope that today’s arrest is the start of the healing and closure process for the affected families who may feel that justice delayed is justice denied. This arrest shows that no one is above the law.

Wyandotte County District Attorney’s Office

Previous federal lawsuit against Golubski, KCK police

Civil rights groups for years sought an investigation into Golubski’s conduct, especially after the former detective was accused of framing an innocent man for murder in 1994.

A lawsuit filed in 2018 accused Golubski of forcing a sexual relationship onto then 17-year-old Lamonte McIntyre’s mother, Rose. When she refused, the lawsuit alleged Golubski framed Lamonte for a double murder.

The lawsuit also alleged other KCK police supervisors knew about Golubski’s actions.

McIntyre served 23 years in prison before a judge vacated his convictions. He was released in 2017, and the state of Kansas awarded him $1.5 million as compensation for the time he wrongfully spent behind bars.

When deposed by McIntyre’s lawyers in the case, Golubski invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination hundreds of times.

McIntyre and his mother settled that wrongful imprisonment lawsuit against Wyandotte County for $12.5 million earlier this summer.

Arrest follows years of calls for investigation

In 2020, a coalition of Kansas lawmakers, religious leaders and racial justice advocates asked the Kansas Bureau of Investigation to investigate Golubski and other members of the department who were accused of misconduct and abuse.

And in 2021, an organization run by rapper Jay-Z filed a petition seeking records from the police department related to what it called a history of officer misconduct within the department.

The Metro Organization for Racial and Economic Equity, or “MORE Squared,” had also demanded a Department of Justice investigation into the Kansas City, Kansas Police Department. The group told FOX4 back in October 2021 that federal investigators had never reached out to them.

MORE2 board member Rev. Rick Behrens of Grandview Park Presbyterian Church issued a statement on Golubski’s arrest Thursday:

“This is a huge step toward justice for victims of Golubski. Those who enabled and sheltered him including the criminal court system, KCKPD and the Unified Government of Wyandotte County should also be held accountable. The arrest of Golubski is huge, but our community is still faced with the need for truth and reconciliation in light of all the pain, injustice and evil we have allowed under our watch in this Beloved Community of God’s Children.”

Rev. Rick Behrens, MORE2 board member