KSHB 41 reporter Marlon Martinez covers Platte and Clay counties in Missouri. Share your story idea with Marlon.
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A special prosecutor has been appointed to investigate allegations that Platte County Presiding Commissioner Scott Fricker illegally accessed the county email account of Platte County Prosecuting Attorney Eric Zahnd.
It's the latest salvo in an escalating battle between Fricker and the commission's decision to disregard funding requests from Zahnd and Platte County Sheriff Erik Holland.
Earlier this month, Zahnd filed a motion to appoint a special prosecutor to investigate claims that Fricker improperly accessed — or directed someone to access — Zahnd's county email account.
This week, W. Ann Hansbrough, Presiding Judge of the Sixth Judicial Circuit in Platte County, appointed Greene County Prosecuting Attorney J. Daniel Patterson as special prosecutor to assist the Missouri State Highway Patrol in its investigation.
Court records show Patterson is authorized to assist in the investigation, seek search warrants or subpoenas if necessary, review evidence and determine whether criminal charges are warranted.
The investigation stems from an ethics complaint Fricker filed on Jan. 23, 2026, with the Missouri Ethics Commission. In the complaint, Fricker accused Zahnd of improperly using county resources to interfere in a political campaign.
Fricker’s complaint centers on a Jan. 5 press release Zahnd sent from his county email account in which he revoked his endorsement of Fricker’s reelection bid and asked for the return of campaign contributions.
Attached to Fricker’s ethics complaint was a copy of that press release email.
According to court filings submitted by Zahnd, the version included visible “BCC” recipients — something that typically would not appear to outside recipients. Zahnd alleges the email could only have been obtained by accessing his official county email account without authorization.
In a motion requesting the appointment of a special prosecutor, Zahnd states his email account contains confidential law enforcement information, attorney work product, communications with crime victims and other protected material.
He also states he did not authorize anyone to access his email in 2026 and that no Sunshine Law request had been submitted to obtain the records through proper channels.
Sheriff Erik Holland requested the highway patrol conduct the investigation, citing the ongoing budget dispute between the sheriff’s office, prosecutor’s office and the county commission and the need for transparency.
Court documents outline three potential felony offenses under consideration: tampering with computer data, tampering with computer equipment and tampering with computer users. Each charge is a class E felony and, if filed and proven, could carry significant prison time.
Separately, Zahnd has filed a motion with the Missouri Ethics Commission asking the agency to dismiss Fricker’s complaint as frivolous.
In that filing, Zahnd argues Missouri law contains a safe harbor provision for issuing press releases and contends his statements criticizing the county commission’s decision to limit employee pay raises — which he says will negatively impact law enforcement — constitute protected political speech under the First Amendment.
Zahnd is also asking the Ethics Commission to allow him to pursue actual and compensatory damages against Fricker if the complaint is deemed frivolous.
The Ethics Commission has not yet ruled on Zahnd’s request.
When asked for comment on the allegations, Fricker responded that, “I have nothing else to add.”
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