A former Wood County sheriff’s deputy is facing three additional felony charges including rape.
The Wood County grand jury handed down a first-degree felony rape charge along with one count of sexual
battery and one count of abduction against Dusty G. Garwood, 50, of Bradner.
These new charges are in addition to two counts of gross sexual imposition which was filed by a different
grand jury last September.
All five counts involve the same victim.
A separate sexual battery count against Garwood for sexually assaulting the female inmate was dismissed
following a court hearing June 23 by Judge Robert Pollex.
Garwood pleaded not guilty in December to the first three counts. All the charges stem from accusations
of sexual contact, including intercourse, with the inmate, who was on electronic home monitoring at the
time due to an ongoing criminal case.
While employed with the sheriff’s office, Garwood was often charged with transporting inmates to and from
court as well as supervising them while at court.
The charges handed down Wednesday allege that Garwood, who was in the service of the Sheriff at the time,
did engage in sexual conduct with the victim by compelling her to submit by force or threat of force
between April 12 and June 24, 2013.
The new sexual battery count alleges similar conduct during the same time frame. This count is very
similar to the one dropped last month dropping an "in custody" clause in the charge as the
victim was on electric home monitoring at the time of the alleged offense.
When Pollex dismissed the sexual battery charge he did so "without prejudice," thus the
prosecutor’s office had the option to re-file the charge without using the "in custody of law"
language.
The final new charge alleges Garwood between April 8 and April 12, 2013 "did, with a sexual
motivation and without privilege to do so, knowingly, by force or threat remove (the victim) from the
place where she was found."
If convicted of the rape count, Garwood could be sentenced to up to 10 years in prison. Additional time
is possible with the other possible convictions should the judge order the terms to be served
consecutively.