WASATCH COUNTY, Utah — Wasatch County Sheriff Jared Rigby tried to use the high-profile murder trial of Kouri Richins to undermine a detective running against him for sheriff, prosecutors allege in newly unsealed charging documents.
Weeks before the trial, Rigby allegedly sent prosecutors an anonymous letter questioning Summit County Sheriff Detective Eric Mainord’s ethics and credibility. The letter said Mainord “is a person that should not be trusted as a law enforcement officer in any community” and urged prosecutors to alert the judge to those concerns.
Embattled Wasatch County Sheriff Jared Rigby takes voluntary leave following indictment:
Prosecutors allege the letter was “crafted to discredit Detective Mainord as a candidate.” They say Rigby sought to use the publicity surrounding Richins’ case to pressure Mainord to leave the sheriff’s race or to publicly discredit him during the trial.
Richins, a Kamas mother, was later convicted of poisoning her husband.
Rigby was indicted on obstruction of justice, a second-degree felony, and a misdemeanor count of making a false statement in September. But the details of the allegations only became public this week after 3rd District Judge Richard Mrazik ordered a less-redacted version of the charging document be made public.
Rigby has pleaded not guilty and has agreed to take paid administrative leave through the end of his term. Former Summit County Sheriff Dave Edmunds was also indicted on an obstruction of justice charge and has also pleaded not guilty.
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