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The San Juan County sheriff was charged with a felony count of witness retaliation and other crimes Friday, and is accused of pointing an unloaded gun at another county employee.
Richard Eldredge, 48, was charged in 7th District Court with third-degree felony retaliation against a witness, along with class A misdemeanors reckless endangerment, obstruction of justice and official misconduct.
Chief Deputy Sheriff Alan Freestone also was charged with third-degree felony retaliation against a witness, and misdemeanor charges of obstruction of justice and official misconduct.
In addition, prosecutors charged Deputy Robert J. Wilcox with misdemeanor reckless endangerment, obstruction of justice and official misconduct.
Charging documents allege that Eldredge pointed a department-issued "assault rifle" at another sheriff's office employee whom he had "previously confronted." The employee, who is not identified in court records, told investigators that he "heard the click of the trigger pull, turned around and saw Eldredge pointing the assault rifle at him and heard Wilcox chuckle," an investigator wrote in charging documents.
When interviewed by law enforcement about the incident, Eldredge "failed to recall" the incident, according to the charges, though investigators say he admitted to the conduct in November 2016.
The employee who was allegedly threatened reported the incident to the sheriff's office, according to a probable cause statement filed with the courts. Investigators noted that while in the past, Eldredge used outside agencies to investigate conduct within his department, he assigned his chief deputy, Freestone, to investigate the complaint.
Freestone allegedly told the employee to write down a statement and give it to Wilcox.
"The witness informed Freestone that he was uncomfortable doing so," a Utah attorney general's investigator wrote. "Freestone noted that the witness refused to cooperate with an official investigation when the witness did not provide a statement to Wilcox as directed."
Freestone recorded his interview with the witness, prosecutors say, but did not record his interview with the sheriff or Wilcox. He also allowed Eldredge and Wilcox to review the recording of the witness interview while he took their statements.
"Freestone, to protect the sheriff, did not conduct a proper investigation," the attorney general's investigator wrote. "Freestone's investigation had incorrect dates, incorrect paperwork, and missing or no audio interviews."
In May 2016, Freestone closed his investigation, according to court records, and indicated that the incident "did not happen."
In August, as a Utah attorney general's office special agent investigated the alleged incident, prosecutors say Eldredge and Wilcox gave false information. They also falsely told the witness in January that "all investigations were concluded and found to have no merit," according to the charges.
In January, the witness was put on administrative leave, according to charging documents, and, in February, he was fired. Prosecutors allege that he was booted because he reported the incident involving Eldredge.
"It is never pleasant to bring charges against a fellow public servant," Attorney General Sean Reyes said in a statement Friday, "but when it is necessary, we will diligently do our jobs to assist the court in holding them accountable."
No court dates had been set as of Friday. The job status of the sheriff and his deputies was not immediately clear.
The three lawmen will be served summonses to appear in court, according to an attorney general's spokesman, and will likely not be arrested or booked into a county jail.
Eldredge was elected sheriff in 2010. He previously served 17 years with the Utah Highway Patrol and was once a Trooper of the Year, according to his candidate biography.