One Lewis County sheriff's deputy has resigned and another is facing discipline in the wake of the instant text message scandal involving County Central Services Director Patti Prouty.
Sheriff Steve Mansfield confirmed that Eric Weinreich, who has been with the office for eight years, resigned last week after supervisors found back-and-forth explicit sexual and personal talks between he and Prouty, sometimes lasting as long as three hours in a night.
In one message, Weinreich wrote of the difficulty of writing and driving 100 miles per hour at the same time, though it was unclear if he was serious.
In addition, Mansfield said Weinreich had had other disciplinary problems during his time at the sheriff's office, which meant he was in line for a stiffer penalty.
Mansfield also confirmed on Friday that Deputy Dan Riordan will face a suspension and loss of vacation time for his communications with Prouty, though Mansfield did not say for how long.
Riordan also wrote of the difficulty of typing and driving, and he received a risqué photograph Prouty sent him via a Web site onto his patrol car laptop computer, then covered up the fact he viewed the site.
However, Riordan's conversations with Prouty involved little explicit content, and he chose to stop the communications, Mansfield said. Riordan has no prior disciplinary problems, and he has been lauded for his work as a deputy, receiving Law Officer of the Year from American Legion Post 101 in 2005.
Mansfield had nominated him for that award.
Weinreich did not return a message left on his cell phone requesting comment. Riordan did not return a message left for him with a co-worker.
After the investigation was complete, Mansfield said the silver lining was that the "most serious and blatant abuses" involved less than 2 percent of his 125-employee staff.
Other deputies were talked to for sending nonprofessional messages, Mansfield said, but no others received discipline.
He added that supervisors will perform random checks of deputies' text messaging via the mobile data computers to prevent any future inappropriate communications.
The sheriff said he had expected to read a lot of innocuous things in the captured messages, such as idle chatter, and he was "disappointed" that the two deputies had made choices to engage in repeated inappropriate talks.
"We were prepared to deal with the stupid things," Mansfield said. "This caught me a little by surprise."
However, Mansfield said Weinreich's and Riordan's bad decisions shouldn't erase the good work they have done as deputies.
"These are good people. They're not criminals," he said. "I hire and retain only good, competent people."
The investigation began in August after Prouty was placed on nondisciplinary administrative leave by Lewis County commissioners for allegedly sending inappropriate instant text messages to law enforcement officer and dispatchers in the county.
As head of the county's technology department, Prouty had helped install mobile data computers in patrol cars throughout the county to allow officers to communicate with each other. She had access to the network via computers in her office and at home.
After the records of her conversations were released, city and law enforcement officials in at least six agencies, including the sheriff's office, began investigations on their own to determine the involvement of their officers.
Centralia Police Department officials have been reviewing all text messages sent to and from all of their officers, not just those involving Prouty.
Chief Bob Berg said any officers who could be subject to discipline were notified on Thursday, but the investigation will continue until the end of the month.
If any officers receive discipline, Berg said the information would be placed within the individual's personnel file.
That information is then available via a public-records request.
Randy Kaut, the Chehalis interim police chief, said he, too, has expanded his investigation to include all text messages sent to and from Chehalis officers. He said he hopes to conclude the investigation in seven to 10 days.
Kaut said he can't say yet whether any Chehalis officers could be subject to discipline.
"It's too early to say for certain, but there are some things that are cause for concern," Kaut said.
Vader Mayor Guy Chastain said he has not finished poring through the text messages, but he expects to finish by the middle of next week.
Vader Police Chief Sean Uhlich was involved in several conversations with Prouty, which included the exchange of a racy photograph via the Internet.
Napavine Police Chief Shelby Clements has admitted to involvement in a number of "off color" conversations with Prouty, which has prompted Mayor Rob McNelly to examine the text messages. One other Napavine officer also had numerous conversations with Prouty.
McNelly could not be reached for comment as to the status of the investigation before deadline Friday.
Morton Mayor Bob Worsham has said he will look into the text messages to determine the involvement of the city's chief, Dan Mortenson.
In one conversation around the time of the Morton Loggers Jubilee, Mortenson asked Prouty if she would be at the event, then told her what time he would be at a bar there.
In an interview, Mortenson said he was describing where he would be patrolling during the busiest weekend of Morton's summer. The approximately 10 other conversations Mortenson had with Prouty show no apparently inappropriate conversations.
Worsham on Friday said he hasn't read the exchange involving Mortenson yet, but from what he's heard, he doesn't immediately see anything wrong.
"I think I understand the drift of what's occurring," he said.
Lewis County commissioners have hired a Seattle law firm to investigate Prouty's messages. That investigation is expected to be complete by the end of the month.
Erik Olson covers county government and environmental affairs for The Chronicle. He may be reached at 807-8239, or by e-mail at eolson@chronline.com. Check out his "County Chat" blog at www.chronline.com under Newsroom Blogs.
