Grain Valley police officer facing nine felony charges for sex acts with juvenile

JACKSON COUNTY, Mo. (KCTV) - An investigation by the Missouri State Highway Patrol has led to multiple felony charges for a Grain Valley police officer after the discovery that the officer had engaged in sex acts with a juvenile.

27-year-old August P. Gildehaus faces nine felony charges, including sodomy or attempted first-degree sodomy, sexual exploitation of a minor, four counts of statutory second-degree sodomy and three counts of statutory second-degree rape.

The Grain Valley Police Department issued a statement following the charges:

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 Grain 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.

Court records indicate that the Grain Valley Police Chief asked MSHP on March 6, 2023, 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 below the age of 17 who was missing.

When the missing teen returned home they informed parents of sexual activity with adult men and identified one of the men as a police officer. According to the Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office, when police detectives showed the victim the Grain Valley Police Department Facebook page, the victim identified Gildehaus. During a forensic interview, the victim also identified other identifying details of the defendant.

Detectives also reviewed the victim’s diary and social media for evidence of the sexual activity of the defendant with the juvenile victim.

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