Sedgwick County deputy won’t be charged in domestic violence case

A deputy who was arrested after alleged domestic violence disorderly conduct has returned to restricted duty and will not be charged in the case, the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office said Wednesday.

This is the seventh Sedgwick County deputy arrested this year, five of which involved alleged domestic violence. Additionally, a contracted kitchen employee was arrested this year for allegedly smuggling drugs into the jail.

The department said that Deputy Clayton Blackwood will be on restricted duty, which doesn’t allow any contact with the public, pending the outcome of an internal investigation.

Blackwood was arrested May 29 on a misdemeanor charge for an incident involving his partner, the sheriff’s office said.

Jail booking reports show Blackwood was arrested by another deputy at a rural address around Lake Afton, and that a woman with the same last name and same Wichita home address as Blackwood was also arrested in connection with the incident.

The Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office will not pursue charges.

“After a full review of the facts, insufficient evidence was presented to support the elements of criminal charges,” Sedgwick County District Attorney Marc Bennett said in an emailed statement.

Blackwood has been with the sheriff’s office for five years.

After the last deputy arrest in May, Sheriff Jeff Easter said he didn’t know why there had been an increase this year in deputies being arrested.

Contributing: Jason Tidd with The Eagle

This story was originally published June 9, 2021 at 12:10 PM.