Zander Ethan Nunley, 26, was charged Monday in 4th District Court with one count of rape, a first-degree felony; two counts of forcible sodomy, first-degree felonies; one count of object rape, a first-degree felony; eight counts of forcible sexual abuse, a second-degree felony; one count of aggravated assault, a third-degree felony; and one count of assault, a class A misdemeanor.

Charging documents say Nunley and the woman met on a dating app and had been “texting and talking for a few weeks” before the woman drove to Nunley’s home in American Fork on Dec. 8 with plans to “watch a religious Christmas devotional, then go look at Christmas lights.”

“After five minutes, the defendant changed the channel and started kissing (the woman),” charging documents say. “This took (her) by surprise, and she said she wanted to have a conversation about boundaries.”

Nunley’s advances continued, according to charging documents. The woman told investigators Nunley “rolled on top of her and started kissing her again, but more aggressively to the degree he caused soreness and lesions in her mouth.”

The woman told Nunley “he was really strong and his response was, ‘I like to beat people up,'” charging documents say, alleging the off-duty police officer continued touching the woman under her shirt despite her telling him “no” multiple times.

Eventually, Nunley asked the woman “to move to his bedroom so they would be more comfortable,” and she agreed “because she said she was feeling intimidated, but hoped they would just go back to kissing and cuddling,” charging documents say.

But “as soon as they got to (Nunley’s) bedroom,” he removed his clothes and hers, charging documents say. “He grabbed her hands and put them above her head and was aggressively touching her body.”

Despite the woman saying “no,” Nunley went on to sexually assault her, according to the charges.

“Throughout the assault, (the woman) said the defendant was saying things like ‘you like it rough, don’t you,’ and ‘I’m teasing you, I’m just tempting you,'” charges say. “At one point, the defendant put his hands around (the woman’s) throat and squeezed to the point she was having a difficult time breathing.”

After the assault, Nunley told the woman “she’d had a gun right by her head and chest the whole time, which was upsetting to (her) because in a previous conversation she told him she wasn’t comfortable around guns,” charging documents say.

After Nunley was arrested last week, the Salt Lake City Police Department issued a statement saying it had “promptly” placed one of its officers on paid administrative leave when the department was informed Wednesday about “a criminal investigation and the arrest of one of our officers,” KSL.com reported.

Monday afternoon, Salt Lake City Police Chief Mike Brown sent a message to all employees within the police department notifying them of the charges against the officer, whom Brown did not name.

“Police officers take an oath to uphold our laws and serve with integrity. As public servants, we are dedicated to protecting and supporting our community; we are held to the highest standards of conduct and accountability,” Brown wrote. “Any allegation that a law enforcement officer may have violated the law, or betrayed the public’s trust, is serious.”

Brown added Salt Lake City police officers “work hard every day to earn and maintain the trust and respect of the communities we serve and represent.”

“This arrest,” he wrote, “does not reflect the commitment, professionalism, and dedication of the women and men of the Salt Lake City Police Department.”

An initial court appearance for Nunley was scheduled for Monday afternoon, according to state court records. He has been denied bail as he “poses substantial threat,” according to the charges.

Utah News Dispatch is part of States Newsroom, the nation’s largest state-focused nonprofit news organization.