Bernie officer waives hearing on sex charge

Daily American Republic

BLOOMFIELD, Mo. -- A Bernie police officer has been ordered to stand trial on a sexual misconduct charge involving five children who live in his Dexter neighborhood.

During a court appearance this week before Associate Circuit Judge Joe Satterfield, Randy Alan Barnes, 38, waived his preliminary hearing on the Class D felony of sexual misconduct involving a child. Satterfield ordered Barnes to appear this week in Circuit Court, Division I before Presiding Circuit Judge Stephen Sharp.

Barnes, who was suspended following his April arrest, is a four-year veteran of the Bernie Police Department.

He is accused of exposing himself to the children who were all younger than 14.