Hamilton County Deputy Charged on Sexual Misconduct Charges

     A Grand Jury has indicted a law officer on charges of Sexual misconduct.
     Hamilton County Deputy James Spates faces two counts of Sexual Battery by an authority figure and a count of official misconduct.
     Sheriff Jim Hammond today said the alleged victim was an underage female the deputy was escorting to the juvenile detention center.

Sheriff Jim Hammond:

"Anytime you transport a juvenile, especially a female, in particluar female juveniles as well as female adults, that you do give your time date and mileage, so we make sure you proceed directly to where you are supposed to.  He deviated from this policy by pulling off to a different location, conducted a search of her body in an inappropriate manner. He subsequent to that did give her some information where she could reach him and based on the complaint made and filed with us, and us making an investigation, the charges were filed." 

    The Sheriff fired Spate Tuesday and he was taken into custody today.