Former Mt. Vernon Police Dept. officer Campbell gets only probation in plea deal

By: 
Steve Chapman

Campbell

First degree attempted rape, second degree kidnapping, second degree stalking charges dropped by Stone County Prosecutor Weber
A former Mt. Vernon police officer received a suspended imposition of sentence and two years of probation after making an Alford plea (a type of guilty plea) to second degree harassment, a class A misdemeanor, on Wednesday, Feb. 7.
Allen Campbell, 35, of Miller, made the plea with the Stone County Prosecuting Attorney Wes Weber in which he denied guilt but acknowledged the evidence possessed by the prosecution would probably result in a conviction if the case went to trial. As part of a plea bargain with the prosecution, charges of first degree attempted rape, second degree kidnapping and second degree stalking were dismissed.
Campbell was originally charged when a woman approached detectives with the Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office. According to the probable cause statement in the case, dated Dec. 14, 2023, she told them that on the weekend before Thanksgiving that year, she was at Campbell’s residence, and he was drunk. The woman said Campbell told her he was going to drive to a relative’s house, and she was trying to keep him from driving due to his being inebriated.
The woman then told the detectives that Campbell calmed down some, but he then threw her on the bed and started trying to take off her clothes. The woman said she was able to get free of Allen, but he followed her out of his residence and grabbed her car door so that she wasn’t able to leave.
According to the probable cause statement, the woman claimed that on Dec. 11, 2023, Campbell approached her inside a convenience store and would not leave her alone. She said that Campbell asked her about her children and asked if he could see them; she said she told him no and to stay away from her children. Afterwards, the woman said, she went back to her car and sat there until Campbell left, after which she went to work.
Campbell was charged and arrested on Dec. 15, 2023; he was released on a $25,000 bond on Wednesday, Jan. 3. He later resigned from the Mt. Vernon Police Department; his resignation was accepted by the Mt. Vernon Board of Aldermen during their meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 9.
Can Campbell return to law enforcement
Jeremy Spratt, program manager for the Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) program confirmed that Allen’s Class A Peace Officer license is suspended and that he was not commissioned with any law enforcement agency as of Feb. 7; Spratt declined to give any further information, citing state law.
Brad DeLay, Lawrence County Sheriff, said the POST program had “several options” on how to proceed with Campbell’s peace officer license.
“They could (one) fully reinstate his license,” DeLay said, “(two) keep him suspended until they complete their investigation, (three) revoke his license permanently, (or four) reinstate his license, but put him on probation for a length of time with requirements.”
DeLay also said Campbell’s trial would not necessarily impact what happens to his license.
“POST will do a separate administrative investigation,” he said. “There is no telling how long that will take or what the outcome will be. I am sure they take into consideration the results of the court’s decision, but they are not bound by anything outside of their process and procedures.”

Plea deal
As part of his plea bargain, Campbell is prohibited from consuming or possessing alcohol while on probation and must submit to testing when requested by prosecutors or law enforcement. He is also prohibited from having contact with the victim in the case and is also not to enter her property or place of employment. He was also ordered to pay $121.50 in costs.

 

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Lawrence County Record

312 S. Hickory St.
Mt. Vernon, MO, 65712
www.lawrencecountyrecord.com

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