ST. LOUIS — A federal grand jury indicted a former North County Police Cooperative officer on Wednesday, accusing him of sexually assaulting 19 men that he had detained or arrested.
The indictment supersedes Marcellis Blackwell's original indictment in September, bringing the 34-year-old from St. Louis' total charges to 36. He is now facing 19 counts of deprivation of rights under color of law, specifically the right to bodily autonomy, and 17 counts of altering records in a federal investigation.
According to the FBI, the indictment said between Nov. 8, 2022, and June 5, 2023, Blackwell "fondled the genitals" of 19 men who he had detained or restrained. He is also accused of aggravated sexual abuse for sodomizing one of the men with his finger, according to the indictment.
Blackwell's actions also constituted kidnapping, the indictment said. Including an additional count of altering the records of another arrest, the indictment names 20 total victims.
The FBI encouraged any other potential victims of Blackwell to call its hotline at 314-589-2682.