Ex-WV Firefighter Charged in Rape, Arson Cases

Sep. 2—A federal grand jury on Tuesday indicted a former firefighter and police officer accused of sexually abusing a girl and then later lying about the incident to investigators, among other offenses that could land him life in prison.

Federal prosecutors unsealed the four-count indictment Wednesday, which charges Christopher Osborne, 25, with two counts of deprivation of rights under color of law, one count of using fire to commit a felony and one count of witness tampering.

According to the indictment, Osborne sexually abused a 16-year-old girl on Jan. 19 at the Danville Volunteer Fire Department, where he had volunteered for nine years previously. Osborne then lied to investigators who interviewed him in Boone County seven days later about having sex with the girl.

Osborne is also accused of using fire to destroy the property of a 49-year-old woman while he was an officer with the Madison Police Department in November 2019, according to the indictment.

Osborne, of Uneeda in Boone County, faces up to life in prison if convicted on all four counts.

At the time of his arrest in February, Osborne was a probationary member of the Charleston Fire Department and part-time Marmet police officer. The fire department hired Osborne as a probationary member in October 2020, Chief Shawn Wanner said at the time. The department placed Osborne on unpaid leave after learning of the criminal investigation on Jan. 26.

Marmet Police Chief John J. Perrine said Osborne had been working a few days a month for the department and was suspended without pay as soon as he learned of the investigation.

U.S. District Court Senior Judge John Copenhaver Jr. has been assigned the case.

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