2. Heartland woman speaks out against MSHP police officer accused of violating privacy

SOUTHEAST MO (KFVS) – There are several new developments involving Trooper David McKnight.

According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol in Jefferson City, he is on special administrative leave without pay.

McKnight is free on bail and has pleaded not guilty in the ongoing case against him in New Madrid County.

McKnight is charged with a total of six counts of invasion of privacy in New Madrid and Scott counties.

In both cases, he is accused of taking and filming nude and partially nude photos of the women with their mobile phones during traffic stops.

KFVS spoke to two Heartland women, Lorraine Schlapak and Emily Northern, who believe Trooper McKnight searched their cell phones during a traffic stop.

Lorraine Schlapak's encounter with Trooper David McKnight on July 30 was not really a surprise. She knew she had been driving without a front license plate.

“I wanted to check my insurance on my phone and was having some problems, so he said he would return my phone to his car,” Schlapak said.

Schlapak was asked whether she suspected this.

“At first I wasn't. I just thought, you know, I have nothing to hide. I'm not going to do anything. I knew after he pulled me over that my plates were expired. So I knew I was in the wrong. So I fully expected a ticket,” Schlapak responded.

In fact, Schlapak said it took her a week to realize McKnight had gone through her phone when she heard the story of another local woman, Emily Northern, whom he had recently stopped.

Emily Northern's encounter with Trooper McKnight is incredibly similar to Schlapak's. As the two women spoke, they realized they had both been stopped on the same road on the same day, just 20 minutes apart.

“This is disgusting, not right,” said Schlapak.

The court documents in the two criminal cases against David McKnight describe six incidents in which he is accused of taking photographs and videos of victims who were fully or partially nude.

The first traffic stop described occurred in September 2023 in Sikeston.

Then two will be performed on consecutive days at the end of December.

The next two victims describe encounters with McKnight in April 2024, both in Sikeston.

The New Madrid County case is related to a traffic stop in late July.

Lorraine Shlapak shared her story on social media and with investigators in Jefferson City.

“When he called back, he said, 'Actually, it will take a little longer because we believe that the matter still needs to be investigated further under criminal law,'” Schlapak said.

The criminal proceedings are ongoing and investigators say there are indications that other victims are involved in the case.

McKnight will make his first court appearance in the Scott County case on Tuesday, August 27.

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