No charges against Fletcher for alleged data violation

An independent prosecutor has declined to charge Ramsey County Sheriff Bob Fletcher with violating a privacy statute.

Fletcher sent a mailing for a charity event to holders of concealed-carry gun permits late last year. A state review of the mailing found he had violated the law governing use of information on permit holders, which is tightly controlled.

Eagan attorney Tom Lehmann said he reviewed the case for the city of St. Paul, but didn't think the case could be prosecuted.

"The data, I believe is private," he said. "However, the statute, as I indicated, requires that an individual must willfully violate that in the release of the information, and under these circumstances I don't believe that I can show beyond a reasonable doubt that Sheriff Fletcher violated that statute."

Fletcher is running for re-election, and the matter has been an issue in his race against assistant St. Paul police chief Matt Bostrom.