MO - Former cop (Richard Calvino) pleads guilty to sexual acts with a minor

Richard Calvino

Original Article

01/28/2014

Less than 24 hours before going to trial, a former police officer pleaded guilty to engaging in sexual acts with a minor while he was on the Osage Beach police force.

Richard Calvino entered the guilty plea Tuesday afternoon before Circuit Court Judge Kenneth Hayden.

Calvino was scheduled for a jury trial in Morgan County on a change of venue. The trial was to get underway on Wednesday, Jan. 29.

Calvino, 59, was originially charged with sexual abuse in the first degree, sodomy, deviate sexual assault in the first degree with a victim aged 14-15, sexual assault in the first degree with a victim aged 14-15 and deviate sexual assault in the second degree with a victim aged 16-17.

Calvino pleaded guilty to two counts — deviate sexual assault in the first degree with a victim aged 14-15 and deviate sexual assault in the second degree with a victim aged 16-17. Calvino was given a suspended imposition of sentence, five years of supervised probation. He will register as a sex offender and must complete a sex offender class through probation and parole. Calvino will not serve jail time.

The charges against Calvino stemmed from allegations that date back from 1984 to 1990.

The filing of the case in 2011 came just within statute of limitations for such crimes in Missouri. Under state statute, the filing of charges for alleged sexual offenses against children may be filed within 20 years of the time the alleged victim turns 18-years-old.

The victim in this case turned 38 in 2011.

The charges were filed after an investigation by the Missouri State Highway Patrol in 2010 which began after the victim had memories resurface while undergoing therapy in Florida as an adult. She had begun seeing the therapist in May 2009.

The victim's age ranged from 11 to 16 during the time frame in question. Calvino's age ranged from 31 to 37.

During the Highway Patrol investigation, the victim had conversations with Calvino by phone, email and in person that officers recorded and preserved for evidence.

During an interview with a Highway Patrol investigator on Dec. 9, 2010, Calvino denied having any sexual relations with the girl.

He pleaded not guilty to the charges when he was arraigned and posted a $5,000 bond.

Since the case was filed in Camden County three years ago, the case has bounced from Camden to Morgan County and has been scheduled to go to trial at least four times.

Following the charges, Calvino continued to be employed with the Osage Beach Police Department until city administrator Nancy Viselli said he recently no longer had a job with the city.

Calvino was notified by the city on July 19, 2013, that, unless he could return to his job full time without charges pending against him, his last day would be Jan. 20, 2014.

Calvino's first day of employment with the city was July 1, 1981. At the time of his arrest, he was a lieutenant with the department.