Off-duty Sheriff's Deputy Arrested in Idaho

A deputy with the Washington County Sheriff's Office was arrested and booked into jail on Friday on sexual misconduct charges.

Michael Alexander, 45, is a sergeant and lives in Lake Oswego.

The charges stem from an investigation by the Meridian Police Department in Canyon County, Idaho.

The police had received a complaint from a woman who had discovered text messages on her son's cellphone.

Police were able to determine that Alexander had communicated with the boy over the app Grindr and had travelled to Idaho twice last year to have sex with him.

The boy was 16 at the time.

Alexander, who turned himself in, is charged with two counts of Lewd Conduct with a Minor under Sixteen and one count of Enticing a Child Through use of the Internet or other Communication Device.

"The charges against Mr. Alexander are extremely serious," Sheriff Pat Garrett told Patch. "I have great confidence the judicial process will determine the truth and ensure an appropriate outcome based on the facts. Allegations such as these against any officer tarnish the great work law enforcement officers do daily and that's enormously disappointing.

"The public rightly expects very high standards of conduct in the law enforcement profession, and I remain committed to holding all staff accountable for their conduct, whether on or off duty," Washington County Sheriff Pat Garrett told Patch.

He is held on $1,000,000 bail and remains on unpaid administrative leave.