Suspended fire chief pleads guilty to child sex crimes
A suspended fire chief has pleaded guilty to child sex crimes in Saline County, and has been sentenced to 13 years in prison.
Levi Dennis was charged with 14 counts of child exploitation as well as charges of sodomy, attempted sodomy, possession of child porn, and invasion of privacy. He pleaded guilty to three charges Monday morning.
Prosecutor Don Stouffer told ABC 17’s Lucas Geisler he wanted a longer sentence, but he offered the plead deal to save the two victims from testifying at trial and reliving what happened to them. According to Stouffer, the girls had come forward with their allegations as early as 2011, but took them back amid what Stouffer described as local pressure.
“He had built up such a level of good will that people simply did not believe the kids,” Stouffer said. “Without a background in child abuse and sexual abuse of children, I understand why people would think that.”
The Saline County Sheriff’s Office started investigating Dennis in May of 2015 after the two victims renewed their allegations against Dennis. The Missouri State Highway Patrol was also involved in the investigation.
The suspended fire chief started with the Slater Fire Department in 2007 and became chief in 2011. Slater mayor Stephen Allegri said he would ask the city to fire Dennis Monday afternoon.
Stouffer said that despite the reaction some in the community had to the victims’ allegations, he trusted many would have supported them with more information.
“Had they known what was happening inside that house, I’m sure they would have done everything they could to stop it,” Stouffer said.
The sexual exploitation of a minor charge Dennis pleaded guilty to carried a potential 30-year sentence, with a maximum punishment of life in prison. Stouffer said he was disappointed with the ultimate result – a sentence less than half of what is legally allowed.
“I wish he was locked up forever,” Stouffer said.
According to probable cause statement, one of the victims lived with Dennis. She told investigators she would wake up with no clothes on with Dennis naked on top of her. She said other times, Dennis would try to rape or sexually assault her. She told police this happened three to four times a week for two years.
In July of 2015, Highway Patrol forensic examiners reviewed a CD that contained about 20 pictures of the victim and another girl changing into swimsuits. Investigators said the pictures looked like they were taken on a hidden camera.
