VSP: Colchester police dispatcher gave info about investigation to prostitute
A longtime Colchester police dispatcher has been fired and cited into court on suspicion that he paid a woman to perform a sex act and disclosed to her details about an ongoing federal investigation, officials announced Wednesday.
Vermont State Police said Earl Benway, 41, of Milton, has been accused of prohibited acts and obstruction of justice. He is scheduled to appear in Vermont Superior Court in Burlington on Oct. 10.
According to the Vermont State Police's news release, the allegations stem from occurrences in June. Police declined to disclose information about the federal investigation Benway is accused of obstructing.
Benway has been a dispatcher with the town of Colchester since March 2001, according to a statement from Colchester Police Chief Jennifer Morrison.
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It is unknown if Benway has retained a lawyer. Attempts to locate his phone number or reach him via Facebook message were unsuccessful.
Morrison said she was notified of the potential personnel matter by Burlington Police Department on Sept. 13. Benway was initially placed on paid administrative leave, and Morrison said she ordered an internal investigation and a separate criminal investigation by Vermont State Police.
"The facts and circumstances of the situation were fairly straight forward and we were able to complete our internal investigation quickly," Morrison wrote in her statement. Benway's leave was switched to unpaid at the conclusion of the investigation.
Morrison notified Benway on Sept. 21 that she had recommended his termination to Town Manager Dawn Francis. She said she told Benway he was entitled to a pre-termination hearing with Francis, but he declined to pursue that hearing. Francis fired Benway on Sept. 22, according to the news release.
Morrison declined further comment Wednesday.
"Because this is a personnel matter, this is all we are willing to disclose at this time," Morrison wrote. "No other employees with the Colchester Police Department are implicated in this investigation."
Contact Elizabeth Murray at 651-4835 or emurray@freepressmedia.com. Follow her on Twitter at @LizMurrayBFP.