Monroe councilman won’t face charges in case involving minor, city probe continues
Monroe City Council Member Gary Anderson will not face criminal charges following an investigation into an incident involving a 15-year-old boy, police say.
The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department confirmed to The Charlotte Observer investigators found insufficient evidence to pursue criminal charges after presenting the case to the Mecklenburg County District Attorney’s Office for review. The DA concurred with those findings. However, the city’s own independent ethics investigation into the matter remains ongoing.
The decision closes the criminal investigation into an incident that prompted Monroe City Council last month to authorize an independent ethics investigation into Anderson’s conduct. Unlike the police investigation, the city’s review is intended to determine whether Anderson violated Monroe’s code of ethics, regardless of whether it constituted a crime.
Anderson declined to comment, but said he plans to release a statement Wednesday after consulting with an attorney.
Mayor Robert Burns, who requested the ethics investigation alongside Council Member David Dotson, previously told The Charlotte Observer the allegations were “very serious in nature” and involved a minor.
“We’re not here to dictate if something is criminal,” Burns said before the council vote. “We’re here to determine if the allegations, regardless of criminality, are ethical, and if they break our code of ethics.”
Burns previously said he believed the allegations warranted an independent review because they involved a minor and raised questions about whether Anderson had violated the standards expected of elected officials.
Records obtained by The Charlotte Observer show the police investigation stemmed from a May 23 incident at a south Charlotte barbershop involving a 15-year-old boy. According to the publicly released incident report, the boy contacted CMPD’s non-emergency line to document an incident that “caused him concern.” The case was assigned to the department’s Crimes Against Children Unit and remained under investigation for several weeks.
The publicly released police report does not identify Anderson by name or describe the nature of the allegations. However, The Charlotte Observer independently confirmed the report was the same incident that prompted Monroe’s ethics investigation.
During the city’s June meeting, council members voted to authorize an outside investigation into the matter. Under the approved scope, the independent investigator will review reports, records, communications, witness statements and other information related to the allegations. The investigator is also directed to determine whether any prior allegations, complaints, reports, investigations or incidents involving Anderson are relevant before issuing written findings and recommendations to the council.
Anderson denied wrongdoing during last month’s council meeting.
“I will just say this – it is a baseless claim. There have been no charges filed whatsoever and I am not going to answer any more questions or subject myself to this political theater,” Anderson said.
Burns previously rejected suggestions that the ethics investigation was politically motivated, noting that Anderson, a Republican, had already lost his primary election and will not return to the council after his term expires.
