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Utah Sheriff Resigns Amid Inmate Mistreatment Investigation

policearchives.org
Dagget County Sheriff

The sheriff of a rural Utah county jail under investigation for allegations mistreating inmates has resigned.

Daggett County Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Susie Potter said in a statement Monday that Jerry Jorgensen resigned Sunday after six years as sheriff.

The move comes a week after two jail employees were fired and a jail commander resigned.

When asked if Jorgensen resigned because of the investigation, Potter said, "not specifically" and declined to comment further until speaking with the county's attorney.

Jorgensen could not be reached for comment.

Utah's Corrections Department has turned over its investigation into "serious, criminal allegations" of inmate mistreatment at the jail to the state Attorney General's Office, which is reviewing the findings and considering criminal charges.

The state also transferred 80 inmates from Daggett County to other locations.

Officials have declined to release details about the allegations.