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Renton police recommend charges against former sheriff in groping allegations

King County Sheriff John Urquhart.

A Renton police investigator recommended that former Sheriff John Urquhart face criminal charges after an ex-deputy’s groping allegation, according to documents obtained by KIRO 7 News.

Cmdr. Daniel Figaro wrote a nine-page probable cause document that detailed the reasons why Urquhart should face charges after claims made by former Deputy Brian Barnes.

Barnes alleges that Urquhart put one hand on his shoulder and the other on his crotch after they left a restaurant where they had had dinner in 2014.

“There is probable cause to believe that John W. Urquhart committed the crimes of Indecent Liberties; Assault with Sexual Motivation,” the document says.

The probable cause document was signed by Figaro on Nov. 14, a week after Election Day when Mitzi Johanknecht took the lead over Urquahrt, the incumbent. Urquhart conceded on Nov. 13 to Johanknecht, who is a major overseeing the Southwest Precinct in Burien.

Renton police forwarded the case to prosecutors in Snohomish County to avoid a conflict of interest in King County.

KIRO 7 News had an exclusive interview with Urquhart on Nov. 2 – five days before the election – in which he denied having any physical contact with Barnes.

Urquhart fought back against the allegations by filing a defamation lawsuit against Barnes in early November.

Urquhart gave KIRO 7 us piles of paperwork on Barnes in an effort to discredit Barnes, who is now a police officer in Massachusetts.

When asked why he released information on Barnes and his previous accusations, Urquhart responded," Because he's made a very serious allegation against me and is a 'he said, she said.' There are no witnesses. There's no evidence. All I can do is show the motivation and the history of my accuser, and I think that's fair game. He's certainly gone after me. I'm showing what he's done in the past, and he's done the same exact thing in the past."

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