Gildehaus posts bond; initial arraignment set for April 20th

     August P. Gildehaus, a former Grain Valley police officer facing nine felony charges for sex acts with a juvenile, posted $20,000 bond on April 12th and is scheduled for an initial arraignment on April 20th. The conditions of the bond include GPS monitoring, no weapons, no contact with anyone under the age of 17, and no contact with the victim or victim's family.
    Gildehaus, DOB 2/17/1996, faces nine felony charges: Sodomy or Attempted Sodomy 1st Degree, Sexual Exploitation of a Minor, four counts of Statutory Sodomy 2nd Degree, and three counts of Statutory Rape 2nd Degree. Gildehaus is being represented by attorney John O'Connor of Wagstaff & Cartmell LLP. Judge Jeffrey Bushur has been assigned the case in Jackson County Circuit Court. 
     According to court records, on March 6, 2023, the Grain Valley Police Chief asked the Missouri Highway Patrol to investigate the allegations that a Grain Valley police officer had engaged in sex acts in 2022 and early 2023 with a juvenile. The day before, Grain Valley police officers were dispatched on a report of a juvenile (under the age of 17) who was missing. The missing teen returned home and informed parents of sexual activity with adult men. The victim identified one of the men as a police officer. When police detectives showed the victim the Grain Valley Police Department Facebook page, the victim identified the defendant. The Victim also identified during a forensic interview other identifying details of the defendant. Detectives reviewed the victim's diary and social media for evidence of the sexual activity of the defendant with the juvenile victim.
     The City of Grain Valley confirmed Gildehaus was employed by the department from March 21, 2022 - April 12, 2023.
     Reached for comment regarding the case on April 12th, the City of Grain Valley provided the following statement:
     "The Grain Valley Police Department holds our officers and civilian staff to the highest standards of ethics and integrity. We expect that the actions of our staff in their professional and personal lives do not discredit the public trust put in the agency. Our department was made aware of allegations involving a department member and we turned the investigation over to a separate and independent agency, the Missouri State Highway Patrol. We are thankful for their assistance in conducting a full and impartial investigation into the matter. We take any criminal activity seriously and therefore cooperated fully in the investigation. There are rules and processes in place through the Police Officers Bill of Rights that we have an obligation to follow to determine the status of an employee. The officer charged with the offenses has been placed on paid administrative leave. We are committed to the oaths of office for law enforcement officers as well as the standards the citizens of Grian Valley expect from our department. We recognize the alleged crime is sensitive in nature and acknowledge the pain this can bring to individual families as well as the community as a whole. As we embark on the future, we encourage the community to bring forth concerns as we enhance professionalism at the Grain Valley Police Department. Any further inquiries regarding this specific investigation should be directed to the Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office."
     To view the charging documents, visit AGildehaus_redacted (jacksoncountyprosecutor.com). ​