Trial of Readstown police chief begins in Vernon County

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VIROQUA - A police chief in southwest Wisconsin stood mute yesterday, while a judge entered innocent pleas to nine criminal charges against him.

30-year-old Shay Larson, the chief of Readstown in Vernon County, remains free on a signature bond. Prosecutors said he committed a variety of misconduct over a three-year period. Among other things, he’s accused of arranging sexual favors on duty, looking the other way when crimes were committed, and lying to investigators.

Larson had been investigated since last fall. He was arrested in March in Nebraska. Two other charges involving a 14-year-old boy were dropped last month. And Larson’s attorney said he plans to ask that all the other counts be dropped as well.

The chief is due back in court June 25th. He’s still employed by the Village of Readstown, even though he’s been on administrative leave since the investigation started. Larson had been Readstown’s only police officer, and the Vernon County Sheriff’s Department patrols the village in his absence.

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