RUTLAND, Vt. — A Vermont sheriff is facing 12 charges of sexual misconduct in an alleged string of incidents that occurred over the course of several years, VTDigger reported.
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The first round of seven charges was filed against Windsor County Sheriff Ryan Palmer in January, which included counts of lewd and lascivious conduct and stalking. The charges were connected to incidents where Palmer allegedly paid three women to watch him perform sex acts. He was also accused of stalking two women by driving past them in a cruiser after they ended contact with him.
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On April 24, Palmer pleaded not guilty to five more charges, VTDigger reported. They include additional counts of lewd and lascivious conduct and soliciting prostitution. The new charges relate to accusations from two more women, one of whom alleged that Palmer paid her to watch sex acts multiple times over several years.
Palmer stated in January that he was “stepping away” from his law enforcement work. His law enforcement certification was temporarily revoked by the Vermont Criminal Justice Council.
Palmer allegedly met one of the victims during his side job as a DJ, Valley News reported. He went by “DJ RPP” while working the side job, which he maintained during his time as sheriff.
The alleged misconduct was uncovered when police received complaints of economic malfeasance within the department. Bank statements obtained by Valley News show payments for Amazon deliveries totaling over $30,000, hotels and restaurants in different cities, a subscription-based music and sound effects platform and direct payments to Palmer.
An audit report intended to evaluate expenditures from July 1, 2024, to June 30, 2025, could not be completed due to figures that were “unsupported” or “not traceable to documentation,” including more than $500,000 across multiple spending categories.
State investigators have not filed financial charges as of April, 2026.
Palmer, a Democrat, was elected in 2022, Valley News reported. The position is up for reelection in November. Chief Deputy Claude Weyant is currently managing the department’s daily operations.
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