TIMELINE: Pierce County Sheriff Keith Swank’s feuds with county officials

Keith Swank, a former Seattle police captain, was elected sheriff of Pierce County in the 2024 election, replacing former Sheriff Ed Troyer. His initial months in office have been marked by public conflicts with other county leaders, including Prosecutor Mary Robnett and County Executive Ryan Mello.

The subjects of those feuds have included Swank looking to work with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to support President Donald Trump’s mass deportation efforts and to challenge the Keep Washington Working Act, a state law that limits cooperation between local police and federal immigration authorities.

He has also pushed back against executive orders issued by Mello, asserting that the Sheriff’s Office is “independent” and should not be subject to the county executive’s directives. That particular quarrel snowballed into a lawsuit after Swank used a private attorney to serve a demand for mediation on Mello, Robnett and County Council Chair Jani Hitchen over his contentions.

Here’s a timeline of the events:

Jan. 1, 2025: Keith Swank begins his first term as Pierce County Sheriff.

April 12: The Adams County Sheriff’s Office posts a photo on Facebook showing Swank posing with U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi and other Washington state sheriffs during a trip the week prior to Washington, D.C. The Adams County sheriff testified before a U.S. House committee April 9 about his opposition to “sanctuary laws” such as the Keep Washington Working Act.

April 17, 6:01 a.m.: Swank posts on X: “It looks like the Pierce County Council and the Executive, without consulting their Sheriff, are doubling down on Keep Washington Working (keep violent illegal aliens here) with Resolution No. R2025-139. I’m doubling down on the Constitution.”

April 18-21: Swank and Robnett exchange a number of emails in which Swank questions whether he can seek legal advice outside of the Prosecuting Attorney’s Office. Robnett tells him she is the only lawyer he can rely on in his role as sheriff.

April 29: The County Council passes its resolution affirming its support of immigrants and committing to complying with the Keep Washington Working Act. Swank voices his opposition to the resolution at a public hearing for it.

May 13-15: In emails between Swank and Robnett, Swank challenges the authority of County Executive Ryan Mello to impose executive orders on his office, in particular one that declares that all contracts that accept federal funding would need to be reviewed internally and then signed by Mello.

Robnett tells Swank that the County Charter makes his elected position an executive department and thus subject to executive orders. Swank disagrees and tells Robnett he will seek legal advice elsewhere, which Robnett warns him he would be doing at his “own peril.” Swank then accuses Robnett of being either incompetent or trying to sabotage his office, calls the County Charter “unconstitutional” and tells Robnett that ChatGPT gave him a different answer about Mello’s authority.

May 19, 10:58 p.m.: Swank posts on X regarding contract talks between Pierce County and the union that represents the rank-and-file of the Sheriff’s Office and calling out Mello: “@RyanMelloTacoma does not respect the women and men of the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office. He refuses to give them a fair contract. He thinks he can bully these warriors. Please join me and demand a fair contract for the men and women of the PCSO.”

May 23: Joan Mell, an attorney with law offices in Fircrest and Montana, sends Mello, County Council Chair Jani Hitchen and Robnett a letter demanding mediation on behalf of Swank. The letter said Swank had reached an impasse with the officials on six issues, including his desire to work with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and his belief that his office wasn’t subject to Mello’s executive orders.

May 27: Robnett emails Mell a cease-and-desist letter demanding that she renounce her claim that she represents Swank.

May 28: Robnett files a complaint in Pierce County Superior Court alleging that Mell has unlawfully intruded on the public office of the prosecuting attorney and requests an injunction prohibiting her from providing legal advice to Swank. Judge Susan Adams grants Robnett a temporary restraining order against Mell.

May 29: Swank shares a story from The News Tribune on X that reported on Robnett’s legal action against Mell and described the fallout between the sheriff and the prosecutor using emails Robnett included in her court filings. Swank posts that Robnett “divulged attorney/client communications without my permission” and calls it “lawfare.”

June 2: Deputy prosecuting attorney Mike Sommerfeld emails Adams and Court Administrator Chris Gaddis asking that the court provide a visiting judge, noting that Mell had previously said in an email that she did not consent to appear before a Pierce County judge in the case.

Robnett notifies Swank that she will appoint former San Juan County Prosecuting Attorney Randy Gaylord as a limited duration special prosecutor to consult with him on the six issues raised in the demand for mediation. Gaylord’s contract with the county is capped at $16,000 at $400 per hour.

June 11: King County Superior Court Judge Michael Ryan, after hearing arguments from attorneys for Mell and Robnett, issues a preliminary injunction prohibiting Mell from holding herself out as Swank’s legal representative, stating that Mell had disenfranchised voters who elected Robnett to be the chief legal advisor for the county. After the hearing, Swank decries the ruling as “terrible.”

July 10, 5:06 a.m.: Swank posts on X that he has offered Mell a job working as a policy advisor for the Sheriff’s Office after he learned Mello has two lawyers on his staff as “executive counsel” and “senior counsel,” and that they are not legal advisors but provide research, analysis and policy advice.

July 14: Mell’s attorney, Brett Purtzer, sends Robnett a proposed order of dismissal for the civil case that would have Mell and Robnett agree to certain terms about how Mell could represent Swank, including in claims against Pierce County and as his policy advisor. Robnett does not agree to the proposal.

This story was originally published July 31, 2025 at 10:00 AM.