A former Clark County corrections deputy accused of sexual misconduct involving a female inmate was back in Superior Court on Wednesday to face new charges relating to a separate incident.
Christopher A. North, 30, entered not-guilty pleas to new charges of voyeurism and indecent exposure. They stem from a March 29 encounter with a female inmate. He previously pleaded not guilty to indecent liberties with forcible compulsion and second-degree custodial sexual misconduct in a July 11 incident.
He remains free on bail.
After North’s initial arrest, investigators began looking into another complaint from a former female inmate.
The woman told detectives that at about 4:30 a.m. March 29 she was being transferred to the Cowlitz County Jail and was met by a male officer, whom she believes was North, according to a probable cause affidavit.
She said the deputy led her to a changing room and instructed her to change into her personal clothing. While she was taking off her shirt, he opened the property room window, from which he could observe her. That prompted her to quickly put on her tank top. He then reportedly told her that he needed to take her fingerprints, court records state.
The woman described North as caressing her fingers while taking her fingerprints, and he reportedly told her she was too pretty to be in jail, according to court documents.
She was then placed in a cell that has windows facing the property room. North then stood in the doorway to the property room, exposed himself and began masturbating while looking at her, the affidavit states. He also mouthed words at her, court records said.
Afterward, he walked toward her and said he had her personal information and would meet her outside of the jail, according to the affidavit.
Once she was transferred to the Cowlitz County Jail, the woman called her boyfriend and told him what happened. The boyfriend then called Clark County to report the incident but said he felt officers didn’t believe him, the court document states.
The woman later picked out North from a photo lineup.
Detectives confirmed from a recorded phone call that the woman had told her boyfriend about the incident. They also said that the cell she was held in at the Clark County Jail has a view to the property room door, according to court records.
On Sept. 22, a detective called North, who denied knowing the woman or ever exposing himself to her. However, he did allegedly admit to communicating with several female inmates online after their release from the jail, the affidavit said.
North was placed on administrative leave July 13 and was fired Aug. 10, according to the Clark County Sheriff’s Office.
His trial is scheduled for Jan. 22.
