Ripley City Council voted Wednesday evening in special session to terminate the employment of Officer Denver “Buddy” Thomas following his indictment by the county Grand Jury for sexual abuse by a parent, guardian, or custodian.
The unamimous action, moved by Councilwoman Jackie Bailey and seconded by John McGinley, came following a 30-minute executive session and the recommendation of Chief of Police Raymond “Jim” Fridley.
The indictment stems from an alleged sexual contact with an underage girl in 2008.
The state police handled the investigation of the matter, and the case was prosecuted by Fred J. Giggenbach, a special prosecutor from Kanawha County.
According to Mayor Carolyn Rader, city officials were kept very much “out of the loop” while the investigation progressed. If convicted, Thomas could face a ten to twenty-year prison term.
Thomas answered the indictment Thursday morning in Circuit Court, and is scheduled for arraignment on Friday, March 5, at 9:30 a.m. before Judge David Nibert.
He will be defended by attorney George Cosenza.
Neither the prosecutor nor the defense attorney returned calls by press time concerning the case.
Thomas, a six-year veteran of the force, has been on paid administrative leave since September as the investigation progressed.
