Charges dropped against Bellevue cop due to ‘sophisticated ruse’

All charges against a former Bellevue police officer were dropped Monday when prosecutors stated that he did not commit the crimes he was arrested for, which were part of a “sophisticated ruse” put forth by the accuser.

KIRO Radio’s Hanna Scott reports that the King County Prosecutor’s Office is dropping charges against John Kivlin, and is not pursuing rape charges against another Bellevue cop, Richard Newell.

According to court documents, the accuser “fabricated evidence and used a sophisticated ruse to deceive Kivlin, law enforcement, prosecutors, and the court in order to have Kivlin taken into custody and charged with additional crimes. The result of the (accuser’s) fabrication was that law enforcement arrested Kivlin for crimes he did not commit, prosecutors filed charges against Kivlin for crimes he did not commit, and the court held Kivlin in custody for order violations which he did not commit.”

Kivlin was arrested in April and accused of assaulting his girlfriend twice. The two reportedly met on Craigslist and began a relationship in 2015. But the woman began making allegations against Kivlin and other Bellevue police officers in 2018. After Kivlin was arrested and released for the assault allegations, he reportedly contacted the woman in violation of a court order in July. He was then charged with witness tampering.

Kivlin was arrested again for contacting the woman in August. But prosecutors say the woman making the allegations was lying this time. After inspecting Kivlin’s phone and billing records, it appears that the woman got Kivlin to text with her using a fake name in August.

Prosecutor’s add that she admitted that rape allegations she previously made in 2009 and 2010 were also false.

Prosecutors said that they are not pursuing previous charges in light of the recent developments and the accuser’s lack of credibility. Kivlin has resigned from the Bellevue Police Department.

The same woman is behind allegations that led to Bellevue Police Chief Steve Mylett being placed on leave last summer.  The allegations came to light when investigators were pouring through text messages between the woman and Kivlin where she stated that she has had sex with his boss.

When Kivlin asked who she meant, the woman texted back, “it’s your boss … boss,” suggesting Mylett. The specific criminal allegations against Mylett have not been made public, but the investigation is being handled by the Bothell Police Department and Mylett remains on paid leave until it resolves. Bothell police said on Monday while the investigation into Mylett continues, so far there is no corroborating evidence.

On Monday, Mylett told KIRO Radio’s Hanna Scott that he was not yet able to speak about the situation, but has long said the truth would eventually come out.

The woman who waged allegations against Kivlin also accused another Bellevue officer, Richard Newell. No charges were filed against him.

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