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Colorado Sheriff Arrested, Charged With Sexual Assault And Misconduct On A ‘Hand-Cuffed, Developmentally Disabled’ Inmate

By Angelica N. Sumter
Published on: 14:13 PST, Aug 24, 2016

An elected sheriff, Thomas J. Hanna, 44, in Colorado was arrested at his office Tuesday evening after being accused of having sexual intercourse with a “hand-cuffed, developmentally disabled” inmate, according to 9 News.

On Wednesday, August 10, a female inmate – whose name has not been released – was being held at the Sedgwick County Jail after being arrested regarding a domestic violence incident.

The sheriff was supposed to transfer the inmate to the Logan County jail, but when he arrived in his personal vehicle, which is against the department’s policy, Deputy Larry Neugebauer began to worry.

The deputy added that he found it odd that he was transporting an inmate in his personal vehicle, but what was even more alarming was that the sheriff had stopped by his home prior to taking the inmate to the Logan County jail.

It was alleged that Hanna’s vehicle was parked outside of his home for at least 20 minutes.

Afterward, Deputy Neugebauer reported the incident, which prompted an investigation.

When investigators interviewed the inmate, she confirmed that Hanna took her to his home. She stated that he initially told her that he wanted to discuss a drug charge, but once inside the home, it was never discussed.

Instead, while the pair were reportedly in the living room, the inmate told investigators that he offered to pay her $60 in exchange for sex.

The inmate added that he asked her to strip and then began engaging in sexual activity with the inmate without her consent while saying, “this has to stay between us.”

“If it doesn’t, I’m going take you to prison for the rest of your life.”

When the sheriff finally transported the inmate to Logan County jail, he put $20 on her books.

The inmate told investigators that she felt as though she had been “raped, and this has bothered me a lot and it feels good to get it out because I’m telling the truth.”

According to the Denver Post, when investigators told her that she had been raped by the sheriff, she said, “‘Oh my God, I didn’t know that,’ and then she began throwing up.”

Hanna was also interviewed by the Colorado Bureau of Investigation and admitted to taking the inmate to his house but denied having sex with the inmate. He said, “I don’t know why she would say something like that.”

The Sedgwick sheriff added that he only took her to his home, which was a “poor decision,” to discuss a criminal case, but when he was asked to take a polygraph test, he refused.

Investigators searched the sheriff’s home and uncovered several items that they will be using as evidence.

From both “interviews and the evidence collected at Hanna’s home, investigators decided to arrest the sheriff for sexual assault on an inmate.”

In November 2014, Hanna – who will soon be divorced and has two foster children – was elected to become “the sheriff of Sedgwick County.” Afterward, he made a public statement via Facebook, which stated as follows: “I am truly humbled to be elected.”

“Thank you to everyone that voted for me; I will not let you down, and I will keep the promises that I have made,” the sheriff wrote.

“It is time to show this county what a respected, proactive and professional department can do to better the lives of the citizens of this community.”

Hanna appeared in a Logan County courtroom Wednesday afternoon where he was officially “charged with sexual assault on an at-risk adult, sexual conduct in a correctional institute, soliciting prostitution and first-degree official misconduct.”

His bond was set at $250,000 and the 13th Judicial District Chief Judge Michael Singer ordered the Sedgwick County sheriff to wear a GPS monitor as he claimed that “the public’s trust had been compromised by his actions.”

Hanna is scheduled to return to court September 16.

[Image via Facebook/Tom Hanna]

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