Sexual assault on a child charges against Teller County Jehovah’s Witness elder dropped

TELLER COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) -- Monday, 13 Investigates confirmed the Fourth Judicial District Attorney's Office dropped charges related to the sexual assault of a child filed against an Elder at Kingdom Hall of Jehova Witnesses in Teller County.

According to a spokesperson for the DA's office, the charges against 60-year-old Shawn Lance Swisher were dropped in January.

Swisher was arrested in December 2022. He was charged with Sexual Assault on a Child by One in a Position of Trust.

An affidavit obtained by 13 Investigates listed eight victims in the case against Swishser, with accusations dating back to the early 2000s and witnesses recalling "incidents" that happened as early as the 1970s.

One of the witnesses told investigators that Swisher was a highly respected member of the congregation and put on a pedestal. The witness said "reporting these things to law enforcement was not something you ever did. (Redacted) stated that's how they were raised, it was common knowledge, that these things would be handled within the congregation, because the punishment that God gave was worse than the punishment that men gave you."

The Teller County Sheriff's Office also executed a search warrant at his home and the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses near Woodland Park. The results of those searches have not been released.

According to the DA's office, this is still an active and ongoing investigation.