Animal Control Officer Accused of Sexual Assault

Lawton, Oklahoma

Twenty-seven-year-old Christopher Mayer already had been fired from his job as a City of Lawton Animal Control officer, and now he's being accused of using his former position to attempt to sexually assault a woman. Police say Mayer showed up on the woman's doorstep claiming to be an animal control officer. She says that when she let him in her home, he tried to sexually assault her - not once, but twice. She said he returned three days later and tried to get in again, but a friend helped her keep him away.

Mayer had only been fired from the city days before arriving at the woman's house. She says she recognized him because less than one month earlier, he had worked on a dog bite case involving her dog, and claimed to be checking on the case. Lawton Police Chief Ronnie Smith says that an animal control officer is like any other officer when it comes to credentials - they carry a badge, wear a uniform and a nameplate that proves who they are or the department they represent.

Police say if there is no proof of their position, they probably are not who they claim to be - which is what happened in this incident. "He went back out there and used his former position to take advantage of this young lady - and he was in civilian clothes," said Smith.

The former animal control officer was wearing civilian clothes because he no longer had a uniform. "The uniform is supposed to be turned in, it's like the police department when you retire or leave, or if you're terminated, you turn in all your stuff, and you don't get a final paycheck until it's all turned in," said Smith.

The woman says that against her better judgment she let him in her house. "She opened the door, let him in, and in the process of letting him in, he checked the dog, and he committed sexual battery on her," said Smith.

Smith says the woman asked Mayer to leave - and, he did. However, soon after the incident, another animal control officer saw his car outside the woman's home, and asked what he was doing there. Mayer told the animal control officer that he was visiting a friend, and after the officer left, Smith says Mayer forced the woman's front door open, and attacked her again. "She told him to get away from her, and finally he left," said Smith. "After he left, she was afraid to report it for a couple of days."

Three days later the woman says it happened again. "Monday afternoon he came back again, knocked on the door," said Smith. "This time her friend answered the door and told him to leave and not come back." Police say the woman was afraid to press charges because she mistakenly thought the man was a city employee, although he had been terminated ten days prior to the first incident, and was with the city for only three months.

Smith says the city hasn't had a problem like this with one of its employees. He says that if you ever question whether someone is a city employee, call dispatch or the organization they claim to be associated with, and request information.