BY DAVE MARNER, Managing Editor, and LINDA TREST, Staff Writer

An investigation into the background of a supposed federal investigator, working with Gerald police for the past month, revealed the man identified as “Sgt. Bill” A. Jakob has a prior criminal history for sexual assault, a vehicular wrongful death lawsuit judgement against him, and has no certification as a law enforcement officer in either Missouri or Illinois.

Jakob, 36, of rural Washington, was carrying a Gerald Police Department-issued sergeant’s badge when Franklin County Sheriff’s Department investigators removed it from him late Friday afternoon following an interview at Gerald police headquarters. An investigation by the Franklin County Sheriff’s Department, the FBI, and the Missouri State Highway Patrol throughout the day Monday concluded with Jakob’s arrest Monday afternoon at his home off Route KK outside of Washington. He faces charges of impersonating a law enforcement officer and, potentially most damaging to the Gerald Police Department, possible state and federal indictments for allegedly violating the civil rights of local residents who were arrested in recent drug investigations. Jakob was booked and released pending the filing of formal charges.

The Gerald Police Chief, his second-in-command, and a patrol officer were place on paid administrative leave Monday pending the outcome of the investigation.

Personal weapons were seized during a search of Jakob’s home, an investigator told The Republican. Gerald city and Franklin County residents whose homes were raided by Gerald police, along with Jakob, have reported being threatened at gunpoint during these raids — apparently conducted without search warrants.

“We, the state and the FBI, are investigating multiple civil rights violations,” said Det. Jason Grellner with the Franklin County Sheriff’s Department’s narcotics unit. “They had no search warrants at all. Nothing in Franklin County.”

Investigators have confirmed what several Gerald area residents told The Republican — at least two of these warrantless drug raids occurred outside the city limits of Gerald.

The Republican learned Sunday night that Jakob had even gone to the extent of telling members of the Board of Aldermen they could not reveal his identity or they would risk losing federal grant funding which was supposedly paying his salary to work as a special investigator with Gerald police. Jakob went to far as to tell Gerald police he was working for the Department of Justice’s “Multi-Jurisdictional Task Force.”

However, said Grellner, no such agency exists. And, he said, the man presenting himself as “Sgt. Bill,” known by some as the “Yellow Man,” or others as simply a federal agent who allegedly kicked in their door without a search warrant, is not even certified to be a police officer in Missouri — or in southern Illinois where he previously claimed to have worked as a lawman. And, based on what investigators have learned since Friday, he is not a federal drug investigator as he presented himself as to Gerald police and city officials. “In no way, shape or form, is he affiliated with any agency in the Department of Justice,” said Grellner. “He is not POST certified. No sir, he’s not (certified) in either Missouri or Illinois.”

As near as investigators could tell, the closest Jakob ever came to being a lawman was while working  as a security guard at a Department of Treasury office in St. Louis. He was fired from that job within the past three months, investigators learned late last week. “We are investigating his onetime employment as a security guard in an federal office building in St. Louis city,” said Grellner.

The Republican began its investigation into Jakob’s involvement with the Gerald police after receiving calls and personal visits from concerned citizens. Our investigation centered, initially, around simply discovering the true identity of this man presenting himself as a federal lawman.

The newspaper began its investigation by confirming, with investigators from sheriff’s departments in both counties, that they did not have an undercover officer working with Gerald police. This was done to ensure no uniformed police, or potential undercover officers, would have their safety jeopardized.

During a Gerald police investigation into alleged illegal narcotics involving a local pharmacist, Republican reporter Linda Trest was attempting to photograph evidence being removed from the suspect’s home and placed in the front yard and driveway. With Trest standing on the edge of East Springfield Road on public property, as allowed by law, the presumed federal agent known publicly only as “Sgt. Bill” approached her and demanded she cease taking pictures. She identified herself as a member of the media and ask him who he was and what agency he represented.

He refused, telling Trest he did not have to tell her anything. In a threatening manner, he ordered her to cease taking pictures toward the house or vehicles parked nearby.

On Friday, The Republican learned Jakob was apparently appointed by the city’s Board of Aldermen to serve in some capacity by working on behalf of the city’s police force despite having no certification as a license lawman. That action came Thursday following a discussion during a closed session, according to Brad Landwehr, a Ward 2 alderman and, until recently, president of the board.

“As part of our investigation we are looking at the meeting minutes,” said Grellner.

Landwehr and Gerald Police Chief Ryan McCrary and Lt. Scott Ramsey meet for two and a half hours Sunday night with Trest in an attempt to explain how Jakob came to work with the department. Also present during this interview was Shannon Kestermont, a patrol officer for the city. 

Sheriff Gary Toelke’s press release, issued Tuesday morning, confirmed much of what the newspaper had learned over the weekend. “It has been determined that an individual has been working with Gerald Police for approximately one month, but not officially,” noted Toelke’s report. “He was officially appointed as a reserve officer by the city last Thursday evening. It has also been determined that he is not certified in the State of Missouri as a peace officer nor is he a federal agent.”

Although the FCSD has not released his name, The Republican had discovered his identity through three separate sources and confirmed the unusual spelling of Jakob with a “k.” Our investigation revealed he has a settlement against him for more than $850,000 in a wrongful death lawsuit filed following a motor vehicle accident on Highway 47 which claimed the life of a young child. When he was in his early 20s, the pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor sexual assault charged filed in St. Clair County in southern Illinois. He had reported, as required, to a sexual offender’s registry in Missouri up until a change in the law in 2006 meant he no longer was required to register.

Our investigation also revealed the town he claimed as a most-recent workplace during his career as a lawman had not had a police force in eight or more years.

In his press release, Toelke explained how their investigation into the Gerald department began with calls from Trest to the sheriff’s department over the past couple of weeks. 

“Last month, the Sheriff’s Office was contacted by Linda Trest, a reporter for The Gasconade County Republican,” noted Toelke. “Ms. Trest inquired about any investigations being conducted by the Sheriff’s Office or the Franklin County Narcotics Enforcement Unit in the city of Gerald. She specifically inquired if there were any federal agents involved or any searches that had been conducted with a federal agent. Ms. Trest provided information that there was an individual who claimed to be a federal agent and stated he was part of a drug task force working with Gerald police. We advised Ms. Trest that the Sheriff’s Office and Franklin County Narcotics Enforcement Unit were not involved in any recent searches in the city of Gerald, nor were there any federal agents working in the area with Gerald police that we knew of.”

Trest’s initial contact with the sheriff of Franklin County eventually led to the developments on Monday and Tuesday centering around searches of the police station offices and McCrary’s home itself. “This contact by Ms. Trest initiated an investigation into the information that she provided,” said Toelke. “Initial information obtained resulted in a meeting on May 12th with the Highway Patrol, Sheriff’s Office, FBI, Franklin County prosecutor, the city attorney, prosecutor, and mayor of Gerald. From this meeting, the mayor of Gerald and Franklin County Prosecutor (Robert) Parks have requested an investigation be conducted by the above agencies in order to determine issues with evidence, and allegations of a subject working for the city of Gerald posing as a law enforcement officer, or federal agent.”

All three police officers interviewed by The Republican would be placed on paid, administrative leave by Monday afternoon. County, state and FBI investigators would serve a search warrant Tuesday at McCrary’s home in the 200 block of West Springfield Road.

An executive session was scheduled for 6 p.m. Tuesday at the request of Mayor Otis Schulte, according to the city’s attorney, Joe Purschke. Schulte and Ward 1 Alderman Richard Johnson were both present at the police station on Monday as county, state and federal investigators questioned their police officers and searched through the station’s offices and the basement at City Hall

Schulte hung up on Trest when she attempted to interview him by telephone about her findings.

“Multiple interviews were done at Gerald police station with Gerald police officers and with an individual claiming to be a federal agent,” said Grellner. “And that in-dividual was later arrested and yet to be charged.”

“The Gerald Police Chief, assistant chief, and one officer, have been suspended with pay pending the outcome of an investigation related to the subject’s conduct,” continued Toelke. “A Sheriff’s Deputy, employed in the jail, has also been suspended with pay due to possible Sheriff’s Office Policy violations. There are allegations of the deputy’s involvement with the subject who it was alleged that he was claiming to be a federal agent. By Office Policy, a deputy sheriff must obtain permission from their supervisor before working with another law enforcement agency. The deputy was not authorized to participate in law enforcement functions outside his job description in the jail. Sheriff’s Office will be assisting Gerald police with coverage when needed in the city. Further investigation is being conducted. The subject of the investigation was arrested for investigation of false impersonation of a law enforcement officer. He is a 36-year old white male from rural Washington.”

Owensville police had provided assistance in one of the Gerald department’s recent drug seizures by providing its canine unit. “We were told they had a search warrant,” said Owensville Police Chief Robert Rickerd on Tuesday.

“We were lied to. We were brought in under false pretenses.” Toelke summed up the complexity of the investigation noting, “It’s like untangling a can of worms.”