Sedgwick County Sheriff Jeff Easter is asking for an investigation into a Sheriff’s Office detective assigned to the Internet Crimes Against Children section within the Exploited and Missing Child Unit.

A recent review has uncovered improper case closures and a failure to thoroughly investigate criminal complaints from 2019 to 2024.

In late December 2024, the Sheriff’s Office conducted an administrative review of the cases managed by the detective after identifying potential issues. Upon determining that criminal conduct may have occurred, the Sheriff’s Office notified the Wichita Police Department and activated the Wichita and Sedgwick County Advanced Law Enforcement Response Team (ALERT) to conduct a criminal investigation.

When the investigation is completed, WPD will present the findings to the appropriate authority for formal consideration.  EMCU investigators will talk to individuals involved in the cases that the detective had worked on.

The detective, who was assigned to EMCU in 2019 and transferred to ICAC in 2021, is currently on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of both the criminal investigation and an internal review.

Sedgwick County District Attorney Marc Bennett issued a statement with regard to the investigation:

The Sheriff’s Office notified the Office of the District Attorney immediately, when the information came to light.  Since that time, this office assisted first, the Sheriff’s Office and more recently, the Wichita Police Department with the gathering of information necessary to conduct an exhaustive  investigation.  When that investigation is complete, a full review of the matter will be conducted by the Office of The District Attorney in order to ensure appropriate disclosures are made and potential criminal charges are considered and addressed.