A former Wood County Sheriff’s deputy pleaded not guilty to new charges, including rape, Tuesday in
connection with allegations he had sexual relations with a female inmate last spring.
Dusty Garwood, 50, Bradner, appeared in the courtroom of Judge Robert Pollex.
In an unexpected move, Pollex recused himself from the case and asked that another judge be appointed as
the matter goes forward.
Garwood was originally indicted on two counts of sexual imposition and one count of sexual battery
stemming 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.
The incident allegedly occurred between April 12 and June 24, 2013.
However, the sexual battery count was dismissed late last month after Pollex said prosecutorial arguments
about whether the victim was in custody at the time across both her own and Garwood’s cases were
inconsistent. The charge specified the victim was “in custody” at the time.
Subsequently, the newly-indicted charges of rape, abduction, and a new sexual battery charge were filed
against Garwood. The new battery charge does not include the “in custody” language. The abduction charge
alleges that Garwood did “by force or threat remove (the victim) from the place where she was found.”

If convicted on the additional charges alone, Garwood could face up to 30 years in prison.
An own recognizance bond, issued for the other charges, was continued for the new charges as well. A
trial date of Sept. 2, with four days reserved, was set. The case was scheduled for a pretrial
conference on Aug. 19.
At the close of the hearing, Pollex said there had previously been some thought that a resolution, short
of trial, might be reached in the case, but that with the new charges that possibility no longer seemed
probable.
Recognizing that Garwood, who frequently transported inmates between the court and Wood County jail while
a deputy, had served in Pollex’s court and the courts of the other two county judges, Pollex recused
himself from moving forward with the case, and asked that the Ohio Supreme Court appoint a new judge. He
said that the judge hopefully would be in place by the Aug. 19 hearing date.