Former Ohio sheriff's deputy who had sex with inmate won't be charged
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In October of 2022, then-deputy April Woodside was fired from the Summit County Sheriff's Office for having sex with inmate Jordan Schwertner, CBS affiliate WOIO-19 reported.
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Woodside was also suspected of smuggling drugs into the jail, but no charges have been filed against her.
The Summit County Sheriff's Office originally closed the case in December of 2022, but reopened it in November of 2024, WOIO-19 reported.
Woodside admitted to detectives during an internal affairs investigation that she and Schertner had sex within his cell.
Records obtained by WOIO-19 showed that the two texted each other more than 750 time in a one month period, as well has speaking on the phone.
Schwertner used his jail-issued tablet to communicate with her. Woodside even sent Schwertner dozens of risqué photos of herself, according to investigators.
Schwertner said he filed a federal rape complaint known as a PREA (Prison Rape Elimination Act) in June of 2023, WOIO-19 reported. He said that as an inmate he could not have consented to sex.
According to the final report submitted by Lead Investigator Kirk Hostetler, Schertner later admitted to having a sexual encounter with Woodside in his cell.
Schwertner told WOIO-19 that he and Woodside had essentially been dating while he was serving time in Summit County,
The report from the sheriff's office shows the Woodside was also suspected of smuggling drugs into the jail.
Woodside admitted to providing Schertner with contraband, such as cigarettes but denied giving him any drugs, WOIO-19 reported.
Schwertner said that after Woodside was fired, his cell was raided, and deputies found some of the drugs she had given him. He claims that Woodside gave him a wide variety of narcotics.
Ohio's Revised Code § Chapter 2907 and § Chapter 2921.36 both state it's a third-degree felony for a law enforcement officer to have sex with ― or provide drugs to ― an inmate.
The final report from the sheriff's office does not mention was happened with the suspected narcotics that were seized, WOIO-19 reported.
According to SCSO's policy regarding Investigations Section 7.3.1 - IV, 'All controlled substances…will be submitted directly to the Summit County Drug Unit, who will then coordinate the submission to BCI.'
The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation was unable to locate any records related to the name 'Woodside' or the case number listed on the report, WOIO-19 reported.
The Summit County Prosecutor's office was asked to review the case for criminal charges, but Chief Criminal Assistant Prosecutor Brian LoPrinzi declined to take it to a grand jury.
in a Feb. 25 letter to Sheriff Kandy Fatheree, LoPrinzi stated that due to the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Garrity v. New Jersey ― which protects public employees from self-incrimination ― Woodside's admission to detectives couldn't be used against her in court, WOIO-19 reported.
If detectives discover additional evidence, prosecutors will re-evaluate the case, according to the letter.
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