In 2017, Deputy Joseph Gutierrez was accused of falsifying an arrest report and urging a person to lie during a domestic-violence investigation. The lawsuit alleged that Gutierrez conspired with the accuser to falsely charge Gerardo Rodarte, leading to Rodarte’s acquittal. Gutierrez was fired in 2018 over allegations of having sex while on duty and failing to aid other officers during a jail escape. In 2023, Skagit County settled the lawsuit for $250,000.
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