𝐒𝐞𝐝𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐚 𝐌𝐚𝐧 𝐀𝐫𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐀𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐀𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐠𝐞𝐝 𝐀𝐬𝐬𝐚𝐮𝐥𝐭 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐫𝐮𝐩𝐭𝐬 𝐒𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐡-𝐂𝐨𝐭𝐭𝐨𝐧 𝐆𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐮𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐏𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐞

𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐫: 𝐀𝐥𝐥 𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐝𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐮𝐦𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐥 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐠𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐭𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝐚 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐥𝐚𝐰. 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐬 𝐦𝐚𝐲 𝐛𝐞 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐝, 𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐝, 𝐨𝐫 𝐝𝐞𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐝 𝐮𝐧𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐝. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐩𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐬𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐳𝐞𝐬 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐛𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐂𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐟𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐭𝐬.

On May 17, 2026, deputies with the Pettis County Sheriff’s Office responded to the Missouri State Fairgrounds Mathewson Exhibition Center in Sedalia in reference to an assault reported during Smith-Cotton High School graduation practice.

At approximately 10:50 a.m., the Smith-Cotton High School Principal contacted law enforcement and requested officers respond to the Mathewson Exhibition Center, located at 2503 W. 16th Street, after an incident disrupted graduation practice. The principal stated he was addressing graduating students from the stage when he heard a male subject yelling from the upper-level seating area. The principal observed the subject, later identified as Anthony “Tony” Bottcher, standing near a doorway and instructed him over the microphone to leave the premises. According to the principal, Bottcher responded by yelling, “Suck my d*ck”.

The principal stated that a female subject approached Bottcher from behind and appeared to attempt to escort him from the area. The principal reported that Bottcher then struck the female subject in the face with his fist and threw her to the ground. Administrative staff responded after hearing the female subject yelling for help, and Bottcher fled the building.

Upon arrival, a Sedalia Police Department Officer was speaking with the victim. The officer advised that the victim stated Bottcher struck her in the face, but she did not wish to pursue charges at that time. The officer also advised that a witness reported Bottcher’s girlfriend allegedly stated Bottcher was threatening to “shoot up” the graduation ceremony scheduled for the following day. Bottcher’s girlfriend denied making the statement when questioned by law enforcement.

After graduation practice concluded, investigators contacted several student witnesses who independently stated they observed Bottcher strike the victim in the face and throw her to the ground. Multiple witnesses described the strike as an uppercut to the victim’s face. Investigators reported that there were no visible injuries or marks observed on the victim at the time of contact.

Based on the reported assault and alleged threats involving the upcoming graduation ceremony, a BOLO was issued for Bottcher, and his immediate arrest was requested. A deputy later located Bottcher in the 2000 block of S. Grand Avenue in Sedalia. Bottcher was taken into custody without incident and transported to the Pettis County Jail, where he was placed on a 24-hour hold for assault.

Bottcher is now charged with assault in the fourth degree. Case Information