Former Riverside police officer sentenced to 1 year in jail for molestation

By Jose Arballo, on December 3, 2010, at 2:59 pm

An ex-Riverside cop who molested a teenage relative was sentenced today to a year in jail and five years probation.

Anthony Wayne “Rod” Fletcher, 39, was convicted Oct. 18 of three felony counts of lewd acts on a child and three misdemeanor counts of annoying a minor.

He faced more than 10 years in state prison, but Riverside County Superior Court Judge Bernard Schwartz found that a lesser sentence was warranted based on the circumstances.

Fletcher was charged last December after the victim alleged he had repeatedly fondled her, according to Deputy District Attorney Mike Carney.

“He would come into her room and feel her breasts while he thought she was sleeping,” the prosecutor said.

Fletcher, a 15-year law enforcement veteran, nine of which were spent at the Riverside Police Department, molested the victim for roughly a year, according to Carney.

He said the girl revealed her secret after she heard her mother express suspicions that the defendant was having an affair.

The couple have since divorced.

Fletcher, who had been a rangemaster, providing firearms training to officers, was fired from the police department soon after charges were filed.

Carney said most of the prosecution’s case hinged on the victim’s credibility.

“However, another part of the evidence was his actions of fleeing the county after finding out about the allegations,” the prosecutor said.

Fletcher “impulsively” phoned in his resignation to a supervisor and drove north for a day before being talked into returning to Riverside, Carney said.

He said trial witnesses included several of Fletcher’s former colleagues, who testified the ex-cop had made incriminating statements regarding his behavior.

faith

February 20, 2011 at 2:59 pm · Reply

Rod aused me trouble at a Grace Fellowship Church in Norco, CA where his father is Pastor. Rod told everyone at church that I complained to his work about a gun he carried everywhere and showed it off multiple time even at a retreat and then came to church and confronted me about this phone call, I told him I knew nothing until he just told me. And the following day I was told I could no longer attend the church per his father Pastor Vernie Fletcher. I have suffed so much since this they even tried to have me removed from my home becaused my landlord is a member of there church and told my landlord that they were not following church policy.This family is trouble. NOw when Rod is released from jail he is going back to his fathers church where there is sunday school and baby daycare and Pastor vernie his father is going to allow it despite he must register as a sex a offender. Please don’t allow this to happen notify the church Grace Fellowship in Norco, ca

Ryan

October 24, 2011 at 7:22 am · Reply

Anthony Wayne Fletcher’s conviction was REVERSED by the US DISTRICT COURT OF APPEALS on October 13, 2011. The COURT finds FLETCHER INNOCENT of ALL charges. CONVICTION REVERSED IMMEDIATELY!