Benton County treasurer charged with child sex crimes
Ryan Shiner
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
Benton County Treasurer Richard Renno was charged on Monday with two child sex crimes.
Renno, 62, of Lincoln, was charged in Benton County with child enticement and sexual misconduct involving a child younger than 15 years old. Missouri State Highway Patrol arrest reports show he was arrested at 7:37 a.m. Monday and was brought to the jail. MSHP later wrote in a press release that he is being held on a $100,000 bond.
A hearing was held on Monday afternoon and the court issued a motion to recuse itself and find a new judge.
The probable cause statement says that Renno used the dating application Grindr in August to speak to a child younger than 15 years old. A witness allegedly gave a screenshot to law enforcement of Renno’s face and a nude photograph he sent through Grindr, court documents say. A family member was able to identify Renno to law enforcement, the statement says.
“The family member told me that he would use his electronic devices, computers and cellular devices to solicit sex online from young men,” the probable cause statement reads.
Renno allegedly admitted to troopers that he has had a Grindr account for 10 years and has talked with minors on the application more than once, the statement says. He also allegedly admitted to sending a nude photograph to users.