Sheriff Jared Rigby steps back from duties, seeks new judge in criminal case

WASATCH COUNTY, Utah — In a letter dated Oct. 20 and delivered to Wasatch County Council, Wasatch County Sheriff Jared Rigby said he will take voluntary administrative leave and step back from his day-to-day duties while his criminal case is pending in the Third District Court.

The announcement comes as the Wasatch County Council was set to consider a resolution calling on Rigby to resign amid his pending criminal charges in their meeting Wednesday evening.

The county council resolution stated that Rigby had previously declined an offer from the county to work remotely and an offer to pay him the compensation he would have earned through the end of his term.

In his letter to the council and County Manager Dustin Grabau, Rigby said he was stepping back to prevent his case from distracting from the Sheriff’s Office’s work.

“It is with the best interests of the Wasatch County Sheriff’s Office and the citizens of Wasatch County foremost in my mind that I will step back from my day-to-day duties and take voluntary administrative leave while my case is pending,” Rigby wrote.

Rigby, who has served in Wasatch County law enforcement for 25 years and has been sheriff for nearly eight years, faces a second-degree felony charge of obstruction of justice in a criminal proceeding and a class B misdemeanor charge of making a written false statement.

He pled not guilty to the charges, and he said in the letter that his position has not changed and that he plans to address them in court.

Rigby’s letter does not constitute a resignation. His term is scheduled to end Jan. 4, 2027.

Details about the timing of Rigby’s leave and how the Sheriff’s Office will be led during his absence were not immediately available.

Rigby seeks to disqualify judge in criminal case

On Monday, Rigby’s defense attorneys filed a motion asking to disqualify 3rd District Court Judge Richard Mrazik from presiding over the criminal case, arguing that Mrazik has personal knowledge of disputed facts and could be a potential witness.

The motion does not allege that Mrazik has actual bias, prejudice, or a conflict of interest. Instead, the defense argues that Mrazik’s prior involvement in the prosecution of Kouri Richins gives him knowledge of events that are relevant to Rigby’s charges.

According to the motion, an anonymous letter questioning the credibility of Summit County Sheriff’s Detective Eric Mainord was sent to the Summit County Attorney’s Office in January, shortly before Richins’ murder trial. The motion says the letter was shared with the court and defense attorneys in the Richins case, and that Mrazik reviewed related allegations in a sealed, in-camera proceeding.

Rigby’s attorneys argue that the judge’s knowledge of how the letter was received, disclosed, and handled could be relevant to the obstruction of justice charge, which alleges that Rigby wrote and mailed the letter intending to hinder the Richins prosecution.

The motion also argues that Mrazik could be a potential witness regarding communications about the letter, and a presiding judge cannot testify as a witness at trial.

The defense asks the court to disqualify Mrazik and assign another judge, or to refer the motion and supporting declaration to a reviewing judge.

This is a developing story.