Times-Standard
By Will Houston 12/11/14
The preliminary hearing date in the sexual assault case against former Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Jason Scott Daniels was set during a disposition reset hearing Thursday, with the defense awaiting discovery on information. Daniels, 41, pleaded not guilty to charges of sexual penetration by a foreign object and two other counts of sexual battery in October in connection with incidents reported to have occurred against a woman on Aug. 29, 2013, and another woman on March 13, 2013, according to a felony complaint filed by the county district attorney’s office.
The two women came forward to the district attorney’s office alleging that Daniels had “willfully and unlawfully” touched them on an “intimate part” while they were being unlawfully restrained by him, according to the court documents.
Daniels did not appear in the courtroom, but was represented by attorney Steven Betz, who was filling in for Daniels’ attorney, Julia Fox.
After agreeing on setting a preliminary hearing date for February, Betz said that their office was still awaiting some evidence pertaining to one of the women, Jane Doe No. 2.
“We did have one disc of discovery that we’re trying to get from (Deputy District Attorney Luke) Brownfield,” Betz said.
After working in the Trinidad and Blue Lake police departments, Daniels joined the sheriff’s office in 2000. He was separated from his employment with the sheriff’s office on Feb. 19, 2014. Daniels had been placed on administrative leave on Oct. 17, 2013, a day before his arrest by district attorney’s office investigators.
He posted $100,000 bail and was released.
Daniels is set to appear in court for a preliminary hearing on Feb. 9, preceded by an intervention hearing on Jan. 20 at 3 p.m.
