Deputy police chief accused of sexual assault

Carbondale is investigating allegations of sexual assault brought against Deputy Chief of Operations Calvin Stearns, City Manager Jeff Doherty said. Stearns is accused of sexually assaulting three different women who work at his business, the Bogie Hole Complex.

Michellenea Futrell, one of the three alleged victims, said Stearns assaulted her Feb. 8 in her hair and tanning salon, St. John's Cove, which is a rental unit inside the Bogie Hole Complex located at 604 E. Park St. Futrell said after helping her work on the salon, which has not opened, Stearns began rubbing and kissing her face and neck. She said he pulled her shirt out of her pants and squeezed her breast.

Stearns and his wife own the Bogie Hole Complex, which houses a restaurant, miniature golf course, batting cages and apartments on the upper level. The DAILY EGYPTIAN has tried to contact Stearns for the past two days. Stearns did not return three voice messages left by the DE.

The other two alleged victims also work at the Bogie Hole Complex. Neither woman wants to be identified. One of the women declined to comment on the allegations on the advice of her lawyer. Futrell said she and the other two women filed complaints Feb. 20 with the Illinois State Police in Du Quoin. Marc Melvin, Illinois State Police master sergeant in Du Quoin, would not confirm that a report had been filed and said the agency simply gave the women advice.

"We're not involved in this incident," Melvin said. "We had a couple of ladies come in here and ask us a few questions, but all we did was refer them to the proper authorities to go to make a report on. Other than that, we have no involvement whatsoever." Carbondale Police Chief Steve Odum declined to go into detail about the accusations and said because Stearns is a city employee, all matters would be handled by Doherty.

"It's an allegation against a city employee, and the city manager wants there to be a single point of contact, a single voice," Odum said. Doherty said the city first became aware of the charges through the media and is conducting an internal affairs investigation into the allegations. He said the city has not been contacted by the Illinois State Police. Futrell said she was advised by a lawyer to file her complaint with an agency outside the city because of Stearns's position within the Carbondale Police Department. Stearns is one of two deputy chiefs for the chief of police.

Futrell said she went to News Channel 6 last week with the allegations after the Illinois State Police informed her that any possible charges against Stearns might be reduced or dropped because of a lack of evidence. "I don't know what is worse, the assault or the process of addressing the perpetrator," Futrell said. "The whole system treats you like you're lying. I understand now why women don't come forward."

Mayor Brad Cole said the city would not hold a press conference concerning the accusations but that it is taking the situation seriously.

"We take all allegations very seriously, and we handle them in an appropriate fashion," Cole said. "Until we have more information on our own, there's really not a lot that we can say about it. We don't speculate about these things." Stearns has been on the Carbondale police force for nearly 24 years and was promoted to deputy police chief of operations in September. Doherty said so far no disciplinary action has been taken against Sterns, who is still working.

According to the Jackson county Web site, Futrell filed for an order of protection against Stearns March 2. Futrell said the order is still pending and has not been granted or denied. Doherty said so far no charges have been filed against Stearns. An employee of the Illinois State's Attorney's Office said the office has no comment regarding the situation.

Futrell, who said she no longer plans to open her shop at the Bogie Hole Complex, said she thinks Stearns' position has complicated the matter but that she is not giving up or backing down. "He may have 30 years of a clean record, but that does not change what he did," Futrell said. "That does not mean he is incapable. "I will not go away. I'm not going anywhere."