In January 2022, Deputy Michael Kear responded to a report of a runaway 16-year-old girl found in a trailer with two middle-aged men. Upon locating the girl, Kear immediately handcuffed her and, during the encounter, used a Taser on her twice while she was restrained. The first deployment occurred outside the trailer when the girl resisted entering the patrol car; the second happened at the sheriff’s office when she refused to exit the vehicle. The girl was charged with resisting arrest, but the charge was later dismissed. Kear was terminated from the sheriff’s office in October 2022 for cause, reportedly while under investigation for claims of sexual misconduct with coworkers and underage girls. A lawsuit filed in January 2024 alleges excessive force and failure to investigate potential human trafficking. ([9news.com](https://www.9news.com/article/news/local/lawsuit-custer-county-excessive-force/73-f3e281d2-b720-4019-b55f-e05504e4186d?utm_source=openai), [kdvr.com](https://kdvr.com/news/problem-solvers/teen-girl-sues-ex-colorado-deputy-claiming-excessive-force-during-arrest/?utm_source=openai))
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