Officer Richard Fischer, 37, a ten year veteran of the St. Charles police department has been indicted by a St. Charles County Grand Jury on charges of Sexual Abuse and Sexual Misconduct, in reference to an incident that occurred in July of 2004.
Fischer turned himself into authorities at the St. Charles County Jail, where he was booked and released after posting a $30,000 bond.
Fischer has been suspended from duty without pay pending adjudication of these charges.
On July 27, 2004 the First Capitol News learned that an 18-year old girl and her parents had filed a Criminal Sexual Complaint against Fischer.
They alleged that the Officer took sexual liberties with the girl, the previous week at around 2:30 am behind a building, while he was on duty. They further alleged that he threatened the victim against telling anyone about the incident.
The parents found out and filed a complaint with the police department and requested action be taken. At that time we were told the officer was still on active duty while the matter was being looked into.
The First Capitol News contacted City Councilman Mark Brown. At that time Brown said, "I was not aware of the complaint and I have a hard time believing one of our officers would do such a thing. A lot of time accusations of an untrue nature are made against police officers and I hope a complete investigation is made so the officer can be exonerated if he is innocent." Brown then contacted Acting City Administrator Mike Vallenti. Vallenti would release no details of the investigation but told Brown, the Missouri State Highway Patrol would conduct an investigation into the charges. He also told Brown that the officer was still on active duty.
On July 30, 2004 we were notified by the St. Charles Police Department, through a news release, an internal and criminal investigation into the allegations was being conducted. The officer was then suspended from duty with pay, pending the outcome of the investigation.
An assistant circuit attorney from the St. Louis Circuit Attorney's office was brought into to handle the matter because St. Charles County Prosecuting Attorney, Jack Banas, a former Captain with the St. Charles Police Department, knew Fischer and excused his office from the case.
Fischer is a close associate of former St. Charles Police Sergeant Tommy Mayer, president of the Missouri Fraternal Order of Police, who was recently fired from the police department. Fischer worked under Mayer on the midnight shift. Mayer is a close confidant of Mayor Patti York who traveled the state with him promoting the FOP. The FOP also supported York in her reelection campaign and she worked hard in an attempt to return 200 hours of comp time to Mayer to use for working on FOP business and also to have a take home car to use to go back and forth to his home in Richmond Heights in St. Louis County. The City Council had taken the hours and take home police vehicle away from Mayer.
Mayer also has a $104 million lawsuit pending against the members of the City Council and former Acting City Administrator Mike Vallenti. York was not named in the suit.
Mayer and York were also in the forefront in attempts to keep Major Robert G. Lowery, Jr., Assistant Chief of Police in Florissant and the Commander of the Greater St. Louis Major Case Squad from being appointed Chief of Police in St. Charles.
