Note: Kent County Prosecutor Chris Becker and Barry County Sheriff’s Office did not respond to requests for comment.
In a shocking event getting little to no media coverage, Former Barry County Sheriff Candidate and Deputy, Richelle Spencer, faces up to 5 years in prison for violating a Personal Protection Order (PPO).
This was not the first time, due to a failure to act by multiple government entities.
How it Began
Richelle’s behavior began in 2023, targeting her then campaign treasurer’s wife, a Hastings-area pediatrician.
Campaign finance documents confirm the change of hands to a different treasurer around March 2023.
The ordeal stayed out of the public eye until August 2024, but must have been an open secret, as many campaign donors and two alleged victims had connections to the Sheriff’s Department.
Had the issue been addressed by law enforcement, it may have prevented a second incident with a new victim, which led to Spencer’s October 2024 arrest.
The Sixberry Notes
Spencer’s first offense went under the radar until becoming the center of a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) dispute in August 2024.
Now referred to as The Sixberry Notes, Barry County Sheriff’s Office deputy Jason Sixberry details Spencer’s 2023 stalking of a Hastings-area doctor. The Barry County Prosecutor declined to release the investigation notes; a consistent practice for those working in the courthouse.
The records were later released by Sheriff Dar Leaf.
The notes were uploaded to social media out of order, requiring proper assembly to understand the timeline of stalking events. Perhaps due to the way it was uploaded, failure to tell the backstory, or a lack of attention by the media, the notes were not taken seriously, spun in the Southwest Michigan media as a political ploy on part of Dar Leaf.
But even a broken clock is right twice a day.
The contents of the notes demonstrate a person in mental crisis. In fact, Richelle acknowledges as early as 2023 that she needs medical intervention.
It is unknown why the Barry County Prosecutor refused to investigate or pursue charges for stalking or misconduct in office, as many of these events occurred during Spencer’s working hours. However, sources allege it was political, a means of ousting Sheriff Dar Leaf from office.
Interestingly, charging decisions were previously in the hands of an Assistant Prosecutor, per the dialogue in this Barry County Board of Commissioners meeting. Meaning, the Prosecutor’s office knew and declined to move forward with charges.
It is no secret that the Barry County Prosecutor and Attorney General Dana Nessel have a tumultuous relationship with Sheriff Leaf.
Curiously, the prosecutor also mentions allowing Richelle the opportunity to release a statement, something the typical defendant is offered.
As mentioned previously, Prosecutors often provide law enforcement special treatment, enjoy prosecutorial discretion, and receive immunities from questionable behavior.
Astonishingly, the Barry County Prosecutor, Michigan State Police, Michigan Sheriff’s Association, and the Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel’s Office refused to investigate the first stalking incident, leaving plenty of blame to go around.
The event was spin-doctored here.
How Did Politics Become More Important Than a Person’s Mental Health?
Perhaps a second stalking event would not have occurred had someone cared enough to intervene.
I can only speculate on why Michigan State Police refused to investigate.
However, a review of Spencer’s Campaign’s disclosures reveals Detective Bryan Fuller, long time employee of the Michigan State Police Wayland Post and unethical actor, was one of her financial supporters.
Bryan also has a history of lying not just about evidence in cases, but lying about receiving requests in general.
In both cases, Spencer sent hundreds of messages over the course of days, sometimes hours, making unwanted sexual advances; acts that Kent County Prosecutors could presumably utilize under Michigan Rules of Evidence 404b.
The second incident occurred sometime after Spencer’s August 2024 primary loss, presumably a catalyst for mania and additional stalking behavior of a second Sheriff’s Office employee.
Spencer was picked up on October 15, 2024 by Michigan State Police Grand Rapids Post with no media coverage.
Mental Health and Due Process Matter
Per the Hastings Banner, she is undergoing mental evaluation. Spencer faces 5 years in prison and/or a $10,000 fine for felony aggravated stalking.
In the Sixberry notes, Richelle admitted to needing medical intervention.
A PPO was also sought and presumably received. Barry County government was likely aware that a Barry County Sheriff’s Deputy was working and campaigning with an active PPO against her.
It is unknown whether she sought medical treatment prior to her October arrest, but sources and court documents confirm she spent time at Pine Rest. It is worth noting that mental health evaluations generating “not guilty by reason of insanity” pleas are notoriously hard for the average Michigan defendant to receive.
If we offer a low bar for Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity for law enforcement officers, we need to do the same for every other defendant in the system. This is, of course, in line with the Rule of Law.
The lack of coverage is also a stark contrast to how other officers and firefighters were treated after mental health emergencies.
What’s Next and Why it Matters
Court reconvenes in Kent County in March 2025 when Judge Jeffrey O’Hara will determine if the former candidate is competent to stand trial.
It’s an incredibly complicated case with multiple facets; clearly Richelle was not ok. There should have been intervention by an employer or organization that could get her the appropriate treatment and resources.
Officials failed to act.
However, your typical defendant is not allowed the privacy and professional niceties that were afforded here. Due process should not only be for the police, nor should politics get in the way of doing what’s right or getting someone mental health treatment if they are in fact, in crisis.
The National Alliance on Mental Illness provides a free hotline for mental health emergencies. Find out more here.
