— from San Juan County Sheriff’s Office —
San Juan County Sheriff Detective Stephen Parker was put on paid administrative leave while the Sheriff looks into new information of misconduct involving a victim in an ongoing case.
Sheriff Ron Krebs said that integrity to the Sheriff’s Office is his primary concern and that in all fairness to the men and women who work for the Sheriff’s Office and the Prosecutor’s Office it is best Mr. Parker be placed on leave.
“Administrative leave will give the Skagit County Sheriff’s Office time to follow up with new information that Mr. Parker contacted the same young woman involved with the case of the teacher charged with sexual misconduct,” said Sheriff Krebs.
Krebs said that it is routine that a neighboring jurisdiction will assist a small office with investigations regarding police officers and that he is grateful for the assistance offered by the Skagit County Sheriff Will Reichardt.
Sheriff Krebs reported that new information came to Prosecutor Randy Gaylord and that he and Skagit Detective Lori Sigman worked over the weekend. The new information will be used to update the previous report provided by Detective Sigman.
The first report from Detective Sigman provided the basis for a court ruling from Judge Donald Eaton which granted a new trial in the case involving the former teacher, Gerald Grellet-Tinner. Last week the Prosecutor appealed the court’s ruling to the Court of Appeals in Seattle.
Because the investigation is ongoing, the details will be made public at a later time. “I am hopeful the investigation can be concluded in 30-60 days,” added Krebs.
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