idaho: Former Gem County deputies Matthew Wallace and William Ritchie are accused of having sex with female inmates.
EMMETT — Two Gem County Jail deputies are on the other side of the law, both charged with felony sexual contact with an inmate.
Court records indicate the two jail employees admit to having sexual contact with two inmates between Sept. 21st and Nov. 2006.
The two defendants are William Ritchie and Matthew Wallace. They faced a Gem County judge today for their arraignments.
Since the allegations surfaced, Ritchie and Wallace have both resigned.
One inmate, Janet Cain, was serving time for forgery and illegal lottery acts.
The second female is Erica Contreras who is charged with kidnapping and possession of a controlled substance.
Both women are now serving prison sentences in Pocatello.
Idaho State Police, the attorney general’s office and Ada County are all involved in the investigation.
A preliminary hearing, where witnesses will be called, is scheduled for April 17th.
There is one more deputy jailer believed to be involved. That person is on administrative leave from the Gem County Jail.
He has not been arrested or charged with any crimes, however, there is an investigation into his involvement.
If convicted, the two deputies face up to life in prison.
