Police affidavit details sexual battery allegations against former Ramona officer

Staff Report | The Wiley Post
Oct 1, 2026

A former Ramona police officer is free on $25,000 bond after being charged with felony sexual battery stemming from allegations involving a 21-year-old city employee during a police ride-along.

Gerald R. Garrison, 67, was arrested over the weekend after Ramona police investigated allegations that he inappropriately touched the employee during the ride-along and later engaged in sexual conduct with him at Ramona City Hall, according to an affidavit filed in the case.

Court records show the Washington County District Attorney's Office filed one felony count of sexual battery against Garrison.

The police affidavit lists sexual battery and forcible sodomy in connection with Garrison's arrest. However, court records show prosecutors filed only the single sexual battery charge. No separate charge of forcible sodomy was filed.

Garrison has been ordered to have no contact with the alleged victim as a condition of his bond.

Affidavit details allegations during police ride-along

According to the affidavit, Ramona Police Chief Daniel Blevins was alerted at about 9:58 p.m. Sept. 25 that Ramona Mayor Cyle Miller had told Garrison he was being suspended and instructed him to leave his badge at the police department.

Discussions with Miller revealed an allegation that a 21-year-old Ramona city employee had been participating in a police ride-along with Garrison when Garrison "touched him inappropriately and engaged in sexual conduct with him," according to the affidavit. The document states the incident later continued inside Ramona City Hall.

The alleged victim told investigators that Garrison was "the authority figure doing the ride along."

During an interview with police, the alleged victim said he and Garrison were conducting traffic enforcement near Jarrett Farms when Garrison began rubbing his shoulder and later touched his genitals.

The alleged victim told investigators he was "scared, shocked, and did not know what to do." He said he repeatedly called Garrison's attention to vehicle speeds displayed on the radar unit in an effort to redirect Garrison's attention.

Garrison then drove back to Ramona City Hall, where the alleged victim told investigators additional sexual conduct occurred.

Police say Garrison changed his account

Investigators said Garrison initially denied wrongdoing when interviewed but changed his account several times, according to the affidavit.

The affidavit states Garrison eventually acknowledged some sexual contact but told investigators the alleged victim "was not withdrawing or verbally saying 'no'" and that he therefore believed the alleged victim was "okay with what we were doing."

Alleged victim told investigators he “did not know how to get away from the situation.”

Investigators also reviewed surveillance video from Ramona City Hall that they said corroborated the alleged victim's timeline. Police collected a substance from the floor of City Hall that the affidavit said would be submitted for DNA testing.

Garrison previously served as school resource officer

Garrison previously worked as a school resource officer but had not served in that role in years, Blevins previously told The Wiley Post.

"He was a school resource officer in the past from before I was chief there," Blevins said. "For the past three school years he has not been."

Caney Valley Public Schools Board of Education minutes provide additional documentation of Garrison's previous connection to the district. At its Aug. 7, 2023, meeting, the board approved Garrison for a "Ramona resource officer" position effective Aug. 10, 2023.

Garrison was serving as a Ramona Police Department officer when the allegations that led to his firing and arrest were made.

Garrison's next court appearance is scheduled for Oct. 16 for a status hearing.

The charge against Garrison is an accusation. He is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.

Editor's note: The Wiley Post is committed to following criminal cases beyond the initial arrest or filing of charges. When we report that a person has been accused of a crime, we will make reasonable efforts to report the case's final disposition, including dismissed charges, an acquittal, a conviction or another resolution. Criminal charges are accusations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty.