A former western Colorado sheriff’s deputy has been arrested for alleged child sexual abuse and the Colorado Bureau of Investigation is looking for more victims in the case.
Joshua Hemphill, 25, of Montrose, was arrested last Wednesday and remains in the Montrose County Jail on $250,000 bond.
Other than saying that the initial investigation was based on information by an alleged victim, the CBI did not provide details. Spokeswoman Susan Medina declined to release an arrest affidavit or additional information on Monday.
Hemphill is a former Mesa County Sheriff’s Office employee and worked for the agency from the end of December 2014 to August 2016, first as a sentencing officer for the work release program and then as a detention deputy in the Mesa County Jail. His employment was terminated for reasons unrelated to this case, according to spokesman Gerald Wohlge.
Hemphill worked for the Dolores County Sheriff’s Office from December 2016 to July 27, according to Sheriff Jerry Martin. During his six-month tenure for that agency, he was trained as a patrol deputy and had only been on his own for a few months, Martin said.
The CBI notified the agency on July 16 that Hemphill was under investigation in a sexual abuse case, Martin said. He was put on administrative leave on July 17.
Ten days later, Martin called Hemphill in for a meeting and said he tendered his resignation during that meeting.
Source: http://www.gjsentinel.com