Earlier this month, Matthew Dale Forschler, 48, of Thayer, appeared before Judge Steven Privette in Oregon County, Missouri, to answer for multiple charges of alleged sex-related crimes against children.
Initially facing three counts of felony child molestation in the fourth degree, a class E felony in the state of Missouri and a separate charge of sexual abuse in the second degree, a class A misdemeanor, he now only faces one count of felony child molestation in the fourth degree following court proceedings held July 2.
The majority of charges were dismissed, however; on July 7, prosecuting attorney Justin Kelly filed to retain one count of child molestation in the fourth degree.
It is unclear which alleged incident accounts for the remaining charge, however; a series of events were reported in July of 2017.
According to court documents filed in Oregon County Missouri, the initial and now partially dismissed charges follow a series of incidents beginning July of 2017 and reoccurring multiple times over the next three years for at least one victim.
The documents state on Feb. 11, 2021, Hanna Smith, a victim advocate with the Oregon County Prosecutor’s Office, contacted Investigator Sargent Stephen Biffle of the Thayer Police Department.
Smith stated on the week of Feb. 3, she had met with a victim regarding the charge against Forschler for a sexual crime.
Smith stated the child had told her she had been a victim of Forschler’s in the past and, more recently, so had another juvenile female.
On multiple occasions, the victim stated Forschler had touched her inappropriately and made inappropriate comments regarding her physical development.
“…This happened nearly every day for three years,” the documents state.
The victim alleged, on more than one occasion, when the victim informed her mother of the incidents, she was told by Forschler he was “just joking”, additionally telling the victims they “don’t take jokes very well”.
The victim stated if it happened again, she would tell someone outside of the family so the incidents would stop.
As indicated by case notes in the report, an open case for the same type of charge was current against Forschler and was open at the time.
Following investigations into the allegations by both the Child Advocacy Center, polygraph tests by the Missouri State Police, and other law enforcement agencies, including the Thayer Police Department, the Oregon County Prosecuting Attorney proceeded with charges.
As a result, Forschler had been charged with three counts of child molestation in the fourth degree, a class E felony in the State of Missouri; however, two of the counts have since been dismissed.
Arraignment is scheduled for Aug. 2 for the remaining charge.
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