One day after a grand jury indicted Wasatch County Sheriff Jared Rigby on criminal charges, County Manager Dustin Grabau reaffirmed the local government’s commitment to public safety.
“We want to acknowledge the seriousness of this matter. It does impact us; it certainly impacts the public's perception,” he said. “We can assure the public that we're going to continue to offer public safety services, that we can do this without interruption, that regardless of what happens with the sheriff, we have good people in place who can continue to protect our community.”
On Wednesday, a 3rd District judge unsealed charges against both Rigby and a former Summit County sheriff.
Rigby is charged with second-degree felony obstruction of justice and making a written false statement, which is a class B misdemeanor.
Summit County search warrant applications and court filings say Rigby allegedly sought to discredit a political opponent earlier this year and, in the process, interfered with the prosecution of Kouri Richins.
He has pleaded not guilty.
Rigby’s attorney could not immediately say Thursday whether the sheriff intends to stay in office until his term expires in January.
Undersheriff Josh Probst echoed Grabau's commitment to continuity in a text exchange with KPCW.
“Our command staff remains focused on the day-to-day operations of the sheriff's office,” Probst said, adding that he cannot speak on behalf of Sheriff Rigby regarding his future plans or involvement.
Grabau said Wasatch County leaders, including the county council, have discussed the indictment and whether options to address the situation exist.
“There are just very few options available to us given state code. As an independently elected official, the sheriff has a high degree of autonomy, and it's not like he's a normal employee who has been charged with a crime,” he said. “Being an elected official grants him special privileges that aren't available to other positions.”
Grabau also acknowledged not all the allegations against Rigby are public. The 12-page indictment of the sheriff is almost entirely redacted.
It includes Rigby’s charges, but no details about investigators’ findings that support the alleged crimes. A court hearing Nov. 4 may decide whether those details are made public.
Rigby asked for the redactions because he said they protect his right to a fair trial.
“Sheriff Rigby remains in office until January 2027, and the indictment will therefore attract public attention,” his attorney said in court papers that seek to keep the indictment out of the public’s view.
Even if Wasatch County wanted to act, Grabau said administrative leave may not be an option like it is when regular sheriff’s deputies are under investigation.
Utah law reserves impeachment for the governor and other state-level positions, but it does say other officials may be removed if they’re taken to court.
The Salt Lake Tribune reports counties throughout Utah have struggled with how to respond when elected sheriffs are accused of malfeasance.
According to The Tribune, deputies and a prosecutor in Grand County wanted the Utah attorney general to investigate whether Sheriff Jamison Wiggins helped halt a drug prosecution, but the office didn’t open a case.
Sheriff Rigby is being investigated by the Summit County Attorney’s Office, which started its inquiry after receiving an anonymous letter before the high-profile Richins murder trial.
The letter allegedly contained allegations about a potential witness, Detective Eric Mainord.
Mainord had filed to run against Rigby in the Wasatch County sheriff’s race. He later dropped out. Rigby lost the June primary, ending his bid for a third term.
