Watch: Testimony in Pierce County Sheriff Ed Troyer’s trial livestreamed from court

Pierce County Sheriff Ed Troyer was charged with two misdemeanors in Pierce County District Court: false reporting and making a false or misleading statement to a public servant.

The Washington State Attorney General’s Office filed the charges against him following an investigation into a confrontation between the sheriff and a Black newspaper carrier in his neighborhood. Prosecutors allege the sheriff falsely told a dispatcher multiple times that the carrier threatened to kill him, which prompted 14 law enforcement officers to respond.

Opening statements were held Nov. 30, after a jury was seated. The trial is expected to last two weeks.

Here’s Pierce County’s livestream of the proceedings:

The standard sentencing range for both crimes is up to 364 days in jail and a $5,000 fine if someone with no prior criminal history is convicted, according to the Attorney General’s Office.

Troyer has denied wrongdoing. An attorney representing him wrote in a statement earlier this year that: “Sheriff Troyer will continue to serve the public as he was elected to do. He looks forward to a jury vindicating him.”

According to charging papers, Sedrick Altheimer was delivering newspapers about 2 a.m., Jan. 27, 2021 in the sheriff’s neighborhood when Troyer started following him, and Altheimer asked if he was being followed because he was Black.

Troyer allegedly accused him of being a thief, followed him again when he tried to drive away, and called a special dispatch line for law enforcement.

Troyer is accused of false reporting because he told dispatchers Altheimer threatened to kill him when he “knew the information was false, and knew the report would likely cause an emergency response,” according to charging papers.

He’s accused of making a false or misleading statement to a public servant because of his comments to the dispatcher that Altheimer threatened to kill him and blocked in his vehicle.

This story was originally published November 28, 2022 at 9:07 AM.