Former Highway Patrol Trooper Indicted

Cape Girardeua, Mo. (KFMO) - A former Missouri State Highway Patrol trooper, 39-year-old David McKnight, is being indicted and accused of unlawfully searching women’s cell phones during traffic stops to find nude pictures.

McKnight was indicted by a grand jury in U.S. District Court in Cape Girardeau with one count of destroying records in a federal investigation and nine counts of deprivation of rights under color of law, namely the right to be free from unreasonable search and seizure.

The indictment indicates between September 1, 2023, and August 19, 2024, McKnight took cell phones from nine different women. According to the indictment he searched the phones and used his personal cell phone to photograph nude pictures he found and later deleted the images from his cell phone. Court records allege McKnight stopped most of the women for traffic violations and took their phones under the auspices of confirming they had insurance coverage, or to verify their identification.

Anyone with information about the case is asked to contact the FBI by calling 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or via tips.fbi.gov.