In 2013, Deputy Talon Venturo, along with Republic police officer Loren Culp, was accused of mishandling a child sexual-abuse investigation. They allegedly failed to properly investigate allegations by a 17-year-old girl who reported being sexually molested by her stepfather since she was 5. The lawsuit claimed that Venturo and Culp intimidated the victim and did not pursue the case adequately. The case was later taken over by the Benton County Sheriff’s Office, leading to the arrest and conviction of the stepfather. In 2022, Ferry County and the city of Republic agreed to pay the victim $275,000 to settle the lawsuit. Venturo was reprimanded for his handling of the case, including attending a court hearing without being subpoenaed and other procedural missteps.

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