Alton police captain denies having affair with accusers wife

Captain Ryan Heath, who is second in command at the Alton Police Department and has been accused of violating a resident’s civil rights in a non-criminal legal action, has issued a statement denying he was involved in an adulterous affair with the man’s wife.

Heath is one of seven police officers — and two command officers — that Kenneth P. Saalfrank of Main Street claims was involved in “a prolonged series of unfounded searches, seizures and prosecution directed against” him.

The suit in U.S. District Court charges that most of Saalfrank’s troubles with local police began after Heath became romantically involved with his now ex-wife, Tara Saalfrank, while the woman was working at the local Dunkin' Donuts shop.

Heath’s statement does not address most of the more serious charges in Saalfrank’s suit, which was filed against the officers, the town, the police department, Belknap County (operators of the county House of Correction) and two unidentified doctors who worked at the facility, in the U.S. District Court in Concord last month.

“I have faith in that the justice system will exonerate me of all Mr. Saalfrank’s groundless allegations… (so) I do not intend to respond to all of Mr. Saalfrank’s merit-less accusations at this time,” Health writes. “However there is one particular highly personal and inflammatory charge that has been made against me that I feel must be addressed immediately.

“In his lawsuit against me, Mr. Saalfrank, without any proof or evidence, claims that I engaged in an adulterous relationship with his ex-wife,” the statement reads. “That claim is absolutely and completely ridiculous.

“I categorically deny that I have ever had any adulterous or otherwise inappropriate relationship with Mrs. Saalfrank or anyone else,” he added. “I have not had any personal friendship or relationship of any kind with Mr. Saalfrank’s ex-wife. All contacts have been professional, revolving around work-related matters.”

Heath notes that his attorney, Melissa Guldbrandsen of Alton, will file a formal legal response to the rest of “Mr. Saalfrank’s baseless accusations… in due course. In the meantime, because I do not wish to try this frivolous lawsuit in the press media… I do not intend to respond to all of Mr. Saalfrank’s meritless accusations at this time.

“I am confident that at the end of the day my name will be cleared in this matter and the court will determine that Mr. Saalfrank’s allegations are baseless,” the statement concludes. “Until that time I would urge people who are interested in this matter to please hold their judgment and not accept one-sided allegations but to wait for the whole story to be told in court. Please feel free to review the court papers. Thank you for your confidence and support.”

The press release was issued by attorney Guldbrandsen’s office and does not appear on the letterhead of the Alton Police Department.