Ex-Deputy Sues Summit County Sheriff's Office as Whistleblower

A Former Lieutenant's Whistleblower Lawsuit Against Summit County Sheriff’s Office

A former lieutenant has taken legal action against the Summit County Sheriff’s Office, alleging a pattern of retaliation after he attempted to expose illegal activities within the department. Charles Mashburn, who served for nearly 25 years, claims that his supervisors began targeting him after he documented violations at the jail that endangered both staff and inmates.

Mashburn stated, “I had no disciplinary actions for the first 24 years of my career.” This lack of issues led him to file a whistleblower lawsuit in April, claiming that his career was essentially derailed by the department. He worked as the lieutenant of corrections until he resigned in October last year, but since then, he has been providing information to 19 Investigates.

“I remained in the shadows,” said Mashburn. His tips have contributed to several outcomes, including the firing of an officer, state and local investigations, and the development of new legislation aimed at creating a public notification system when prisoners escape.

In his lawsuit, Mashburn detailed the following alleged mistreatment:

• Ongoing disciplinary threats
• Isolation from colleagues
• Assignment of impossible tasks without proper staffing
• Public humiliation by his supervisors

This behavior, according to Mashburn, started after he documented numerous violations at the jail that put both staff and inmate safety at risk. For example, he mentioned instances where inmates posted bond but were still held because there were no officers available to release them.

“I have nobody in intake. I had to shut intake down and they knew about it,” said Mashburn. State officials confirmed similar issues during their inspection in November, noting that the jail used booking and intake areas to house inmates, officers placed housing units on lockdown due to insufficient staffing, and inmates had no access to phones, TVs, books, or legal counsel.

Mashburn also highlighted that new inmates were not receiving state-mandated health assessments, and officers failed to monitor those on suicide watch. “I could no longer maintain my oath and work there,” he said, which led him to contact 19 Investigates.

Beginning in August, 19 Investigates exposed some of the most disturbing incidents in Summit County, including a deputy having sex with an inmate and the department’s failure to notify the public when prisoners escaped. Mashburn believes the department deliberately kept this information from the public, stating, “They feel it’s a black eye to the administration.”

He shared details about an incident involving former deputy April Woodside and inmate Jordan Schwertner. In October 2022, officers suspected Woodside of having sex with Schwertner and smuggling drugs to him. A cell search uncovered a package containing white powder. “That month we had two inmates overdose in the month of October,” said Mashburn. “That could be directly correlated with the drugs that were coming in.”

Woodside admitted to having sex with Schwertner but denied giving him drugs. Despite the sheriff’s policy requiring substances to be sent to the state crime lab for testing, this did not happen. The case was closed in December 2022, but when 19 Investigates reported it in October 2024, records show the case was reopened, and the items were finally sent to the BCI crime lab.

“After your stories they confirm it’s cocaine,” said Mashburn. “They didn’t do it initially, which has never happened where it just sits on the desk or sits on a shelf for two years.” However, despite the positive test results, the prosecutor decided not to pursue charges. “I think it’s a cover up,” said Mashburn.

This is one of the reasons Mashburn decided to resign and take legal action against his former employer. “What my lawsuit is about, it’s not about the money. It’s more than that, it’s about oversight. It’s about reform of this. I want to see reform on a county level, and I also want to see some protections for the employees there, to come forward and report improper conduct.”

Mashburn also filed a complaint with the U.S. Department of Justice regarding the handling of the Woodside investigation. Representative Bill Roemer introduced House Bill 23, which creates “The Escaped Convict Alert Program.” The bill recently passed the House and is now in the Senate.

According to court records, the Summit County Sheriff’s Office has denied all of Mashburn’s allegations. We requested a comment from Sheriff Kandy Fatheree, but she has not responded. If you believe there is a need for an investigation, you can contact 19 Investigates with your request.