Prosecutors say the cases span several years and involve four alleged victims.
CLAYTON, MO — Riverview Mayor Michael “Mike” Cornell Jr., 39, was arrested last week in north St. Louis County and charged with nine sex crimes after a county investigation. He appeared in court in Clayton on Friday, where a judge kept his bond at $1 million cash only.
County prosecutors accuse Cornell of offenses that they say occurred across multiple years and locations in and around Riverview, a village of roughly 2,300 people near the Missouri River. Authorities say four people are identified as victims in court filings, three adults and one who was a juvenile at the time. The charges include several counts of statutory sodomy and first-degree sodomy or attempted sodomy, as well as harassment and possession of child sexual abuse material. Cornell was taken into custody during a traffic stop on Thursday, according to police. He has not entered a plea. Defense counsel of record was not listed in the initial docket.
Prosecutors outlined the allegations at a brief hearing, saying some incidents happened at Cornell’s home, in his car and inside his office at Riverview City Hall. The St. Louis County Police Department’s Bureau of Crimes Against Persons began the case after a complaint was forwarded to the agency in December. Lt. Col. Jerry Lohr, who oversees the county’s criminal investigations, said the mayor’s role amplified the damage to public trust. “People expect those in leadership to protect them. When that trust is broken, it harms the whole community,” Lohr said. Investigators said the reported conduct stretches back years, with the most recent instance alleged in late 2023. Names of the alleged victims were not released under department policy.
The charges filed by the St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office list four counts of second-degree statutory sodomy and three counts of first-degree sodomy or attempted sodomy. Prosecutors also filed one count of first-degree harassment and one count of possession of child pornography described in records as a single film or videotape. The court set bond at $1,000,000 cash only. If posted, conditions would include no contact with the victims and restrictions on internet use, according to standard county bond terms for sex-crime cases. The charging documents do not detail any prior criminal convictions for Cornell. County police said additional interviews are underway, and they asked anyone with information to contact detectives.
Riverview is a general-law village in north St. Louis County with a small municipal staff and an elected board of trustees. Cornell, elected mayor in 2024, has presided over a series of contentious meetings about code enforcement and municipal finances. Records show he has been named in several civil disputes since taking office, although none involved the criminal allegations now filed. The city hall building was closed Friday as officials assessed staffing, according to residents who arrived to pay bills and found the doors locked. Neighboring communities have offered administrative help if needed, a county spokesperson said.
In court, the case was assigned to St. Louis County Circuit Court in Clayton. Prosecutors said they will present additional evidence to a grand jury if necessary. An initial arraignment is expected after a formal reading of charges this week. If the case proceeds, a preliminary hearing would follow in circuit court to determine probable cause. The judge scheduled the next status date for later this month. Police said they are still reviewing digital devices that were seized during the arrest, and they will submit any additional forensic findings to prosecutors.
Outside the courthouse, a handful of Riverview residents expressed shock and anger at the accusations. “We are a small town and this hurts,” said longtime resident Angela Watts, who said she has attended village meetings for years. Another resident, Brian Lewis, said he wants answers about who is running day-to-day services. “Trash still has to be picked up and the lights kept on,” Lewis said. County officials said essential services such as police patrols and road maintenance are operating as normal. Village trustees did not respond to questions about whether they will ask Cornell to step aside while the case is pending.
As of Tuesday, Cornell remained in the St. Louis County jail on a cash-only bond. The court is expected to set an arraignment date this week and prosecutors said more information could be released with the next filing.
Author note: Last updated January 20, 2026.