Conviction in Sex Harassment Trial

Former Curry County (Ore.) sheriff Mark Metcalf has been found guilty by a jury on four charges that include sexually harassing dispatcher Kimberly Wood and two other county employees. The prosecutor said he will ask for a lengthy jail sentence at an August 14th hearing. The women have filed a civil suit against Metcalf making similar charges. According to Wood’s very graphic testimony in court, Metcalf would come into the comm center for no reason and stare at her. During one incident Wood said Metcalf placed his hands under her hair on her neck, slid his hand down into her blouse, under a shirt and bra and cupped her left breast. Wood testified nearly in tears, “I didn’t say anything. I was scared, nervous, and in shock. It was sexual in nature and unwanted. I immediately pulled away, told him to get out and he left.” She told her husband, who had just been promoted, but the were both worried their jobs might be in jeopardy if they made a formal complaint about Metcalf’s conduct. Wood also testified to several other verbal and physical incidents with Metcalf, who was recalled by the voters (68%) earlier this year after receiving a 97% no-confidence vote from his department’s employees. Metcalf denied all the alegations and that a polygraph test he took on his own exonerated him.