TACOMA, Wash. — Pierce County Sheriff Ed Troyer will go to trial beginning July 11, 2022 on one charge of false reporting and one charge of making a false or misleading statement to a public servant following a confrontation with a Black newspaper carrier in January.
Troyer pleaded not guilty to the charges in late October. He was formally charged by the Washington State Attorney General Bob Ferguson's office following a months-long investigation.
Probable cause documents describe Troyer following a Black newspaper carrier, Sedrick Altheimer, along his delivery route, accusing him of being a "porch pirate."
Troyer called a department line used by law enforcement to gather routine information and requests and said multiple times that Altheimer threatened to kill him, according to documents.
During Ferguson's investigation, officers said Troyer told them Altheimer did not make any threats and he did not observe any weapons on him once they arrived at the scene.
If convicted of a felony or crime involving malfeasance in office, Troyer could be barred from office, according to the report.
Troyer's attorney released a statement saying he "did not lie or make a false statement," and he was "looking forward to a jury trial."
"We are confident that after the people hear the whole story, Sheriff Troyer will be vindicated," the statement read.
