Former jail deputy convicted of sex crimes sent to prison for probation violation

A former jail deputy convicted last year of sex crimes with inmates was sent to prison Friday for a probation violation.

During an afternoon hearing in Sedgwick County District Court, Judge Joe Kisner found David Kendall guilty of violating the terms of his two-year probation when he drove drunk and refused a breath test during a Sumner County traffic stop on Jan. 3.

Kendall was convicted in Sumner County of those two crimes on Aug. 14 and granted probation in that case earlier Friday, his court-appointed defense attorney Blake Cooper said in court.

But in the Sedgwick County sex crimes case, Kisner ordered Kendall to serve the 26-month prison sentence that underlies his probation term in the case.

The former Sedgwick County Jail detention deputy pleaded no contest in June 2014 to six counts of attempted unlawful sexual relations with inmates and one count of making a false information. Originally prosecutors charged him with dozens of crimes, including felony aggravated criminal sodomy and misdemeanor sexual battery, for becoming involved with six different men incarcerated at the jail in April and June of 2012.

Kendall’s attorney painted the 25-year-old as “ideal placement in probation” and a “valuable employee” at the lawn care company he works for. He asked the judge for a second chance.

Kendall, he said, is “living well and doing well other than this one hiccup back in January.” The DUI was “clearly a mistake on his part,” Cooper said.

Kendall told the judge he is willing to undergo treatment to ensure he doesn’t falter again.

“I believe I’ve been accountable for everything including this most recent incident,” he said.

Sedgwick County Assistant District Attorney Jennifer Amyx, however, characterized Kendall’s drinking and driving as part of a “pattern of poor judgment.”

She pointed out that he submitted to alcohol testing only after Sumner County authorities obtain a search warrant for a blood sample, and he left out details of the traffic stop when he talked to his probation officer.

“To describe this situation as a ‘hiccup’ really disguises the nature of this offense,” Amyx said, adding: “Frankly, judge, this event took place only six months after sentencing where he’s bold enough to violate the court’s orders.”

This story was originally published September 25, 2015 at 8:07 PM with the headline "Former jail deputy convicted of sex crimes sent to prison for probation violation."