BRIGHAM CITY — Scott Womack was arraigned Wednesday morning in Box Elder County Justice Court on three different alleged incidents of official misconduct when he was a Box Elder County Sheriff’s Deputy.
He officially faces an array of charges including official misconduct and attempted unlawful custodial sexual contact, all misdemeanors, occurring between July and November of 2010.
He has three similar cases pending in Garland, Tremonton justice courts and First District Court, also tied to activities while he was a Box Elder County Sheriff’s Deputy.
Prosecutors have declined to comment on the specifics of the charges because of a federal lawsuit against Womack, Box Elder County and County Sheriff Lynn Yeates by Attorney Rob Sykes on behalf of two victims.
Those two victims, in prior news reports and in their federal lawsuit, alleged that Womack pulled them over in traffic stops and manipulated them into exposing their tattoos to him. They also alleged that Womack coerced them to expose themselves to him under the guise of checking their tattoos tied to a warrant he claimed named the victims.
At the arraignment, Womack was assigned a public defender, who will work with the court to set another hearing date.
Justice Court Judge Kevin Christensen said he would recuse himself from future hearings involving Womack because of a conflict of interest. He will bring in a Logan Justice Court judge for further hearings.
Box Elder County Attorney Steve Hadfield said Christensen likely recused himself because he is a county employee.
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