Rian Alden Pleads Guilty to Assault Charge at Washington County Jail
In a rare case of accountability for law enforcement officers, a Washington County jail deputy, Rian Alden, has pleaded guilty to felony assault during a booking process. The incident occurred on March 30, 2018, when Alden attempted to take a booking photograph at the Washington County Jail. Security footage captured Alden’s actions but did not include audio. However, the visual evidence led to serious consequences.
Alden was initially placed on leave but not charged due to a lack of criminal evidence at the time. However, two years later, when a racist email surfaced, the decision to charge him was revisited. Eventually, Alden agreed to plead guilty to attempted assault in the second degree, avoiding a potential prison sentence.
As part of the plea deal, Alden received probation and will undergo an anger evaluation. He is required to comply with all laws, avoid contact with the victim, and withdraw his DNA sample as mandated for felony convictions. Despite this outcome, Alden’s attorney argued that Alden had a clean record prior to this incident and is still employed by the sheriff’s office.
