Gary Anderson Avoids Charges in Incident Involving Minor, Ethics Probe Continues

Gary Anderson Avoids Charges in Incident Involving Minor, Ethics Probe Continues

Gary Anderson, a Monroe City Council member, will not face criminal charges in a case involving a 15-year-old boy, but an independent ethics investigation remains ongoing.

What happened?

The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department confirmed that investigators found insufficient evidence to pursue criminal charges after presenting the case to the Mecklenburg County District Attorney's Office for review. The DA concurred with those findings.

Why it matters for Gary Anderson

The decision closes the criminal investigation into an incident that prompted Monroe City Council to authorize an independent ethics investigation into Anderson's conduct. The city's review is intended to determine whether Anderson violated Monroe's code of ethics, regardless of whether it constituted a crime.

What comes next?

The city's independent ethics investigation into the matter remains ongoing. Anderson told The Charlotte Observer he's glad the investigation ended with no evidence to move forward. "I still maintain that the city 'ethics' investigation is nothing more than political theatre and hope that it is rescinded in the next council meeting now that the matter is closed," he said.

The incident in question occurred on May 23 at a south Charlotte barbershop involving a 15-year-old boy. According to the publicly released incident report, the boy contacted CMPD's non-emergency line to document an incident that "caused him concern." The case was assigned to the department's Crimes Against Children Unit and remained under investigation for several weeks.

Anderson denied wrongdoing during last month's council meeting. "I will just say this-it is a baseless claim. There have been no charges filed whatsoever, and I am not going to answer any more questions or subject myself to this political theater," Anderson said.

Mayor Robert Burns, who requested the ethics investigation alongside Council Member David Dotson, previously told the Observer the allegations were "very serious in nature" and involved a minor. "We're not here to dictate if something is criminal," Burns said before the council vote. "We're here to determine if the allegations, regardless of criminality, are ethical, and if they break our code of ethics."

The city's independent investigator will review reports, records, communications, witness statements, and other information related to the allegations. The investigator is also directed to determine whether any prior allegations, complaints, reports, investigations, or incidents involving Anderson are relevant before issuing written findings and recommendations to the council.

The decision to close the criminal investigation does not necessarily mean the ethics investigation will be rescinded. The city's review is intended to determine whether Anderson violated Monroe's code of ethics, regardless of whether it constituted a crime.

Anderson's case is a reminder that even in the world of politics, allegations of misconduct can have serious consequences. The incident in question occurred on May 23 at a south Charlotte barbershop involving a 15-year-old boy.

Gary Anderson's case is a complex one, and the outcome of the ethics investigation remains to be seen. The city's review is ongoing, and it is unclear what the final outcome will be.

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