FOND DU LAC, Wis. (WTAQ) - Authorities in Fond du Lac say a child pornography case against a former city official will not be affected by embezzlement allegations against other city workers. Ex-human relations director Ben Mercer is appealing a jury’s conviction on 14 counts of having child pornography in his work computer. Mercer claimed in his defense that he was set up by employees of Fond du Lac’s Information Systems department. 3 workers in that department are now being investigated in a scheme to embezzle over $100,000 – and a former employee in the same agency is also being probed.
Prosecutors announced that investigation earlier this year, even though no one has been arrested or charged yet. Police say both the Mercer case and the Information Systems’ embezzlement are being investigated by outside agencies. Deputy Chief Kevin Lemke said he could not talk much about the Mercer case, since it’s being appealed. But he did say the integrity of the city’s evidence in that case remains unchanged.
