Police: Indiana mayor threatened after sex with man

CINCINNATI — Prostitution. Blackmail. HIV.

That's what police say led to the Tuesday arrest of Batesville Mayor Richard Fledderman.

It started in June, according to a news release from Indiana State Police, when Fledderman, 60, allegedly paid another man for sex acts.

Police say that man, Randy Wigle-Stevens, threatened to make the encounter public unless the mayor paid him more. In addition, Wigle-Stevens failed to tell Fledderman he had HIV, police said.

Authorities arrested both Tuesday, after warrants were issued by Ripley County Superior Court Judge Jeffrey Sharp.

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Batesville is a city of about 6,500 people in both Ripley and Franklin counties. Both the Batesville Casket Company and the Hill-Rom hospital bed manufacturer are headquartered there.

Fledderman is charged with patronizing a prostitute, a misdemeanor.

Wigle-Stevens, 42, of Indianapolis is charged with failure to disclose dangerous communicable disease status — a felony — and with intimidation and prostitution, both misdemeanors.

Court dates for both are expected to be scheduled Wednesday.