SEDGWICK COUNTY — A former sheriff faces seven months in jail after he was convicted of official misconduct.
Thomas "TJ" Hanna, 45, the former sheriff of Sedgwick County, was sentenced Wednesday to seven months in jail with work release as a condition of 12 months probation. He was arrested in 2016 after a joint investigation into alleged wrongdoings that landed him charges including sexual assault of an at-risk adult, sexual conduct in a correctional institute and prostitution-soliciting, in addition to the first-degree official misconduct.
Aside from the latter, Hanna was acquitted of the charges, or they were dismissed.
He was found guilty May 8 by a Logan County jury on the first-degree official misconduct charge, which alleges that Hanna transported an inmate in his personal vehicle to his home in August 2016.
“No person, regardless of station in society, amount of wealth, or public position — even an elected law enforcement officer, is above the law,” said District Attorney George Brauchler. “From the sheep herder to the shoe salesman to the sheriff, all will be held to account for the violation of our laws. Here is no exception.”
The sentence required that Hanna write a letter of apology to be published in the local newspaper.
“This defendant was a person of power and privilege who abused community trust,” said Senior Deputy District Attorney Danielle Jaramillo, who prosecuted the case. “This sentence is what the public deserves.”
Hanna's conviction results in the revocation of his Colorado peace officer certification.
