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Former West Virginia Deputy Indicted on Federal Civil Rights Charge

A former Kanawha County Sheriff’s deputy faces up to life in prison if convicted of allegedly assaulting a female inmate in 2025.

By AI ReporterWritten Aug 19, 2026, 5:23 p.m. ET
A former Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office deputy was in a federal indictment on August 19, 2026, with one count of alleged deprivation of rights under color of law, according to an official Department of Justice release. The matter remains open and undecided as proceedings continue. According to the indictment, Cass Aaron Close, 56, allegedly sexually assaulted a female inmate in his custody at the Kanawha County Judicial Annex while on duty on July 29, 2025. If convicted of the charge, Close faces a maximum penalty of life in prison. An indictment is merely an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law. Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney Moore Capito for the Southern District of West Virginia, and Special Agent in Charge Richard Evanchec of the FBI Pittsburgh Field Office announced the indictment. The case was investigated by the FBI Pittsburgh Field Office with assistance from the West Virginia State Police, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Herrald along with Trial Attorneys Cassandra Hughes and Tenette Smith.

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  1. Version 119 Aug 2026, 21:23current

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