ST. GEORGE — The names of two Washington County sheriff's deputies implicated in a sex scandal involving female inmates at the county jail were released on Friday.
Sgt. Charles Mrkvicka, 57, and deputy Brian Stubbs, 31, were identified in a news conference held by the Hurricane Police Department that led the investigation into the pair's alleged criminal conduct.
"Our investigation has lead us to believe this was an isolated incident that took place at the Purgatory Correctional Facility," said Hurricane Police Chief Lynn Excell.
Mrkvicka and Stubbs were allegedly in a consensual sexual relationship with "two and possibly more" female inmates while the women were prisoners at the jail, Excell said.
The two deputies were involved in consensual sexual misconduct, Excell said in reading from a prepared statement.
"Our investigation has included interviewing several correction deputies and females inmates," at the jail, the chief said. "The interviews provided us sufficient evidence to substantiate this conduct took place inside the Purgatory Correctional Facility."
Assistant Chief Shayne Copeland said he and officer Jerod Brisk teamed up to conduct the interviews, which included speaking with every female inmate in the facility. At any given time there may be from 50 to 60 female inmates housed at Purgatory Correctional Facility, which has 460 beds used by county and state inmates.
Mrkvicka, whose work at the jail included being the shift supervisor over Stubbs, was hired as a corrections officer in September 1998. He had more than 20 years of law enforcement experience and had received extensive training on staff inmate relations and sexual harassment.
Stubbs was hired in June of 2002 and had also attended more than a dozen specialized training sessions on sexual harassment and staff/inmate relations.
Both men resigned from their positions in late March following an internal investigation conducted by the sheriff's department.
Washington County Sheriff Kirk Smith said Wednesday he would hold meetings with staff members next week to review what happened and discuss ways to make certain it never happens again.
Hurricane police officers will deliver the department's investigative report to the Beaver County Attorney's Office on Monday, said Excell.
"They will hand carry it. I want them (Beaver County) to understand everything that's in that report," he said.
St. George also completed its investigation into a second pair of deputies who resigned in late March following allegations they had "inappropriate relationships" with former female inmates while off-duty and off the jail premises. That report was sent Thursday to the Beaver County Attorney's Office, which will review both reports for possible criminal charges against the four men.
The charge that could be filed is custodial sexual relations, a third-degree felony, which carries a possible sentence of up to five years in prison.
E-mail: nperkins@desnews.com