Court Takes No Action as Charges Remain Pending for Former Deputy
Former Douglas County sheriff’s deputy Jeremiah Heredia has been released from jail without charges filed, following his arrest for alleged misconduct. The DA now has up to 30 days to decide whether to proceed, as a related jail harassment case may be influencing the timeline.
Dozens of supporters filled the courtroom Monday morning as former sheriff’s deputy Jeremiah Heredia made a brief appearance following his arrest last week. But what was expected to be a first step in the criminal process ended quickly with no formal charges filed and no court action taken.
Heredia, 47, had been arrested the previous Thursday for allegations of assault and misconduct while on duty at the Douglas County Jail. The arrest followed an incident in which an inmate reportedly flung toilet water onto Heredia and another person. Heredia was booked and held overnight in the same facility where he once worked, but he was released the next day without needing to post bail.
Judge Pro Tempore Jason Thomas opened the session Monday by calling Heredia’s case first, though it wasn’t listed on the official docket. With Heredia already represented by legal counsel and no charges on file, the judge quickly ended the session, noting that the court had nothing to act on.
According to Oregon law, the district attorney’s office has up to 30 days to file charges after a probable cause arrest. If that deadline passes without charges, the case can still be filed later, as Oregon allows up to two years for misdemeanors to be prosecuted.
Although the original allegations were misdemeanors, only one of them, assault, could technically be prosecuted in Roseburg Municipal Court. The other, official misconduct, falls outside the city’s jurisdiction and must be filed in Douglas County Circuit Court if it’s pursued at all.
Over the weekend, a separate but possibly connected case emerged. Another inmate at the jail was charged with attempted aggravated harassment after allegedly spitting at a deputy. Heredia’s attorney confirmed that the inmate in question was the same individual involved in Heredia’s incident, possibly complicating the DA’s charging decision.
For now, Heredia is no longer in custody, and no formal charges have been filed. But with time left on the legal clock, the case is still very much alive.
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