Pierce County Sheriff Ed Troyer found not guilty on two charges connected to 2021 incident

PIERCE COUNTY, Wash — Pierce County Sheriff Ed Troyer was found not guilty Wednesday on two charges connected to a January 2021 incident involving a Black newspaper carrier.

It took the jury less than a day to make its decision.

Troyer faced one charge of false reporting and one charge of making a false or misleading statement to a public servant after he allegedly claimed on an officer line to 911 dispatch that Sedrick Altheimer, a Black newspaper carrier, threatened to kill him in January 2021. Troyer pleaded not guilty to the charges in October 2021.

The state Attorney General's Office filed the charges against the sheriff after Gov. Jay Inslee referred the case to the office. The Attorney General's Office cannot initiate a criminal investigation unless it receives and accepts a referral from a county prosecutor or governor.

“Part of upholding the rule of law is respecting the decision of a jury,” Attorney General Bob Ferguson said. “I appreciate the jury’s service, and thank my team for their hard work.”

Altheimer's attorney in a separate civil lawsuit, Vonda Sargent, called the verdict "disappointing." Sargent said Troyer made contradictory statements during the incident that should have led toward a guilty verdict. Essentially, she said, the jury said one of the officers who testified during the trial was not trustworthy.

Timeline of the trial

Opening statements in the trial were made Nov. 30. The first witnesses took the stand Dec. 1.

On Dec. 5, SouthSound 911 Dispatcher Leah Heiberg, Darren Steiner, who owns the newspaper distribution company that contracts Altheimer, and Tacoma Police Officer Zachary Hobbs, who spoke with Troyer at the scene, testified. 

On Dec. 6, Altheimer testified to what happened on Jan. 27, saying he never made threats to the sheriff.

Chad Lawless, the Tacoma police officer who spoke with Troyer at the scene of the 2021 confrontation, also testified in court Dec. 7.

Troyer took the stand Dec. 8 to explain his side of the story. His wife, Wendy, also testified. 

Troyer took the stand again on Dec. 12 where state prosecutors had the opportunity to cross-examine him before resting their case.