PORTLAND, Oregon – Today, Multnomah County District Attorney Mike Schmidt and Multnomah County Sheriff Mike Reese announced that Robert James Haney, 50, pled guilty to official misconduct in the second degree. Haney will serve six months probation, resign from his position at the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) within one week from today and relinquish his Oregon Department of Public Safety Standards and Training (DPSST) certification and pay a fine of $500.
Haney was indicted in late September for stealing blank, official CDC vaccination cards from a Multnomah County Jail where he was employed.
In May of this year, co-workers reported that Haney stole vaccination cards to the agency’s Professional Standards Unit. Immediately after being informed of the allegations, Sheriff Reese directed MCSO detectives to open a criminal investigation.
MCSO detectives obtained a search warrant for Haney’s work locker, phone, and home in Battle Ground, Washington. The stolen vaccination cards were found in Haney’s home.
During the investigation, detectives learned Haney took two vaccination cards during a vaccine clinic held at the jail where he worked. He then took a co-worker’s filled-out vaccination card and made a copy. He used the information from this card to fill out the blank cards he had stolen to indicate two COVID-19 vaccine doses, allowing himself, and anyone who might obtain the cards to misrepresent their COVID-19 vaccination status. Haney intended to distribute them to family.
“While I am deeply disappointed in this employee’s actions, I commend detectives for conducting a thorough investigation,” Sheriff Mike Reese said. “Allegations of misconduct are serious matters for public safety agencies. Community trust is the foundation upon which we build our legitimacy as public safety professionals. Our profession’s credibility is damaged when any member engages in illegal actions or misconduct.”
District Attorney Mike Schmidt said, “As law enforcement officials we’re working hard to earn the trust of our community. We know that demonstrating trustworthiness begins at home. The collective effort between The Multnomah County Sheriff’s office and the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office to investigate and prosecute Mr. Haney shows our accountability systems at work, and more importantly that no one is above the law.”
The Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office thanks the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office for their assistance in this case.