Urquhart Sex Assault Allegations: Prosecutor Won't Pursue Charges

SEATTLE, WA - Snohomish County Prosecuting Attorney Mark Roe will not pursue charges King County Sheriff John Urquhart over an alleged 2014 groping incident involving a former deputy. Roe sent a letter Friday to a Renton investigator who had forwarded the charges to Roe on Nov. 21.

Earlier this fall, Renton police were asked to investigate a claim by former deputy Brian Barnes that Urquhart had once groped Barnes. On Nov. 21, Renton police Det. Dan Figaro found probable cause that Urquhart committed a felony, sexual indecent liberties.

In Roe's letter, he says that Figaro's investigation pointed to two possible charges against Urquhart: indecent liberties, a felony, and fourth-degree assault, a gross misdemeanor. The statute of limitations has passed on the misdemeanor. On the indecent liberties charge, Roe said whatever happened between Urquhart and Barnes likely wasn't a "very serious, violent, Class A felony sex offense."

The Seattle Times first reported Roe's decision Friday, and was the first to cover Barnes' claims.

Urquhart has denied Barnes' claims. After Renton police forwarded charges to Roe, Urquhart responded by calling the matter politically motivated. Urquhart was defeated by King County Maj. Mitzi Johanknecht in the November election and Barnes' allegations emerged the week before Election Day.

"Not only have I adamantly denied this scurrilous allegation from day one, but I've said it was politically motivated. Now there should be no question," he said through a department spokeswoman last week.

In a separate civil case, Urquhart is suing Barnes for defamation.

Barnes, now a campus police officer in the Boston area, claims the alleged assault happened after he and Urquhart went out to dinner in Renton in 2014. Barnes filed a complaint after the incident, he told Patch in November, and was then ostracized from the department.

Urquhart has said that Renton police in the most recent investigation relied on witnesses who were biased.

"As part of their investigation, the Renton Police contacted former Det. Robin Cleary, who vouched for Barnes veracity. However Cleary was also fired from the sheriff’s office in 2014 for dishonesty during the Darion Holiwell investigation," Urquhart said in a statement last week. "A second deputy, Carl Cole was also quoted in the PC Certification and also vouched for Barnes. Cole was an active member of Sheriff-elect Johanknecht’s election team, and is part of her transition group. He is also lives with Johanknecht’s campaign manager Captain Jessica Sullivan."

Image via Susan Walsh/Associated Press