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Volume 38 Issue 5
November 7, 2000

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MCC business manager indicted on 3 counts for stalking Vermont girl, 14
Dickson posts $100,000 bond; placed on administrative leave

BY J.W. WATSON
MESA LEGEND
Submitted November 7, 2000

Bruce Dickson, MCC’s business manager, was indicted by a Newfane, Vt., grand jury Oct. 27, on one count of aggravated stalking and two counts of unlawful restraint of a 14-year-old girl, all felony charges that if convicted could land him in prison for 15 years.

According to the indictment, Dickson, who pleaded innocent to the charges, harassed the alleged victim repeatedly through e-mails and other electronic communications, attempted to entice her away from her parents’ home without their consent, and caused her substantial emotional distress.

Dickson

The 44-year-old Dickson, who first began working for the Maricopa Community College District in 1987 as a budget coordinator, was arrested by the Windham County Sheriff’s Office the night of Oct. 27 while staying in a hotel room with a rental car in his possession.

After posting a $100,000 bond, Dickson was released from the Woodstock Correctional Facility on Nov. 2, met with an attorney and returned to the sheriff’s office to retrieve his personal belongings before heading to Boston to catch a flight back to his home in Chandler, according to Windham County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Henry Farnum.

No trial date had been set, according to Susan Kennedy, deputy state’s attorney for Windham County.

While incarcerated at Woodstock, Dickson declined an interview request by the Mesa Legend.

J.W. Watson/ MESA LEGEND

Chandler Police detectives Robert Lenz, above, and D.A. Best, below, confiscate computer equipment, including a Macintosh G4 from the home of MCC business manager Bruce Dickson Nov 2. More equipment was seized from Dickson's office at MCC's fiscal office the next da, including his computer's hard drive.

Also on Nov. 2, Chandler police detectives obtained a search warrant and confiscated a Macintosh G4 computer from Dickson’s home, as well as magnetic tape and other computer-related equipment.

According to Chandler Police Officer Sue Schilling, Farnum had requested their assistance in the case. Schilling said no formal charges would be brought against Dickson when he returns to Arizona.

Chandler police then served a similar warrant at Dickson’s MCC office in Cashier Services, where, according to Dean of Administrative Services Ron Etter, they seized his computer’s hard drive and other evidence relating to the case.

Etter added that Dickson will remain on paid administrative leave until his vacation time runs out, although no one in MCC administration nor district offices knew how much time he has left.

"Currently, we have no grounds in which to take any... action other than to place him on leave," said Rick DeGraw, the district’s media relations director.

A source close to the search at MCC indicated that phone records also were being looked at by Chandler police.

"All this is really something I can’t believe he’d do," said Shelvie James, a fiscal technician at MCC and a co-worker of Dickson’s since 1995. "And that’s the consensus around the office — that it’s pretty unbelievable.

"I think we should wait until all the facts are out before we start making any judgments because his character hasn’t shown that to be something he would do."

James added that Dickson is very quiet about his personal life and rarely spoke about friends or family.

Although children’s toys were observed inside his garage during the first search, Schilling said there has been no confirmation of minor children living with Dickson.

Mesa Legend staff members Dave Thurston and Leaenna M. El Ghalayini contributed to this story.

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