A Chisago County police officer was charged this week with misconduct for allegedly having on-duty sex and providing alcohol to a 19-year-old college student whom he may have met while serving as her high school resource officer.
An investigation continues into whether Officer Michael Joseph Delmont, Jr. was involved with the student before she turned 18 or whether he may have had inappropriate contact with other former students.
"In my 20-plus years of prosecution, I've never seen anything quite like this," said Isanti County Attorney Jeff Edblad, whose office is handling the case to avoid a conflict of interest. "What stands out to me is the allegations, if proven true, are very disturbing because it shows a police officer putting his own wants and needs ahead of public safety. He's putting his own gratuitous self-pleasure ahead of serving the constituents of his town."
Delmont, of Lino Lakes, a member of the 12-officer Lakes Area Police Department, is charged with police officer misconduct and furnishing liquor to a minor - both gross misdemeanors - and obstructing the legal process, a misdemeanor. He was arrested Thursday and released Friday without bail, under conditions that include staying away from the woman and surrendering all firearms.
Delmont was placed on paid administrative leave from his job, according to Lakes Area deputy chief Bill Schlumbohm.
Charges filed Thursday stem from a relationship Delmont allegedly had starting in 2007 with the woman, who is now 21 and a college student. According to the charges, the two had multiple sexual encounters while Delmont was on duty and after the student had drunk alcohol and had driven to meet him at Ki Chi Saga Park in Lindstrom during the spring of 2007.
Later that summer, Delmont provided her with alcohol and, though he was aware she had been drinking before meeting him, he allowed her to drive away, charges say.
Chisago County sheriff's investigators were tipped off last month when Lakes Area Police Chief Kevin Stenson called them about the possible illegal activity. Investigators had the student make recorded calls to Delmont, during which he allegedly admitted providing alcohol to her while she was underage and told her to lie to investigators to prevent him from losing his job. Delmont was on duty during the recorded calls, charges say.
Schlumbohm said Delmont, who began serving as a Lindstrom police officer in 2001, was the school liaison officer for Chisago City High School from about 2004 to 2007, during which the woman would have been in high school.
Edblad said investigators believe Delmont met her there, but Edblad said he didn't know whether they were involved in a sexual relationship before she was of legal age.
"There certainly is an ongoing investigation as to aspects of the case," he said. "If there were other individuals this defendant has been involved with, we'd like to talk to them."
According to a brief biography on the police department website, Delmont worked as a State Patrol dispatcher for about 10 years and was a Department of Natural Resources officer for a year before joining the Lindstrom department in 2001. After his stint as a school resource officer, he worked on patrol.
According to records, Delmont appears to be married with two teenage children. A telephone message left at his home Friday was not returned.
Abby Simons • 612-673-4921
