Guilty for former Alex. Mayor

Detroit Lakes , MN (KDLM)-

The former Alexandria Police Chief Rick Wyffels has entered a guilty plea to an amended charge of Gross Misdemeanor Misconduct of a Public Officer or Employee after initially facing a felony Theft by Swindle charge.

The plea comes in the wake of a year-long investigation by the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) into alleged financial crimes. Wyffels, who served the city from 1987 to 2020 and held the position of chief of police from November 2006 to September 2020, was arrested by BCA agents following the investigation.

Approximately four weeks after Wyffels’ retirement, the city of Alexandria became aware of unaccounted-for expenditures and purchases. In response, the city contacted the BCA to conduct an independent investigation. The city provided financial records from 2015 to 2020, as requested by the BCA.

Wyffels was sentenced to pay a $50 fine, a $75 surcharge, and a $15 law library fee. Additionally, Wyffels will serve 120 days in jail, with 116 days stayed for one year under specific conditions. These conditions include making a restitution payment of $65,000.00 to the League of MN Cities Insurance Trust (the nonprofit cooperative insurance organization for Alexandria)

Alexandria Mayor Bobbie Osterberg noted that since 2020, the city has implemented new policies and procedures for all purchasing and credit card usage, reinforcing a commitment to maintaining high ethical standards for its employees.