Fremont County Sheriff announces resignation

Fremont County Sheriff Jim Beicker announced Tuesday that he is resigning as the county’s top law enforcement official on Sept. 1.

Beicker wasn’t running for re-election this year anyway, so his exit was expected. However, the resignation announcement came as a surprise in an email Tuesday, according to a county commissioner.

Beicker has been the sheriff since 2003, it’s not immediately clear if Undersheriff Megan Richards will take over Beicker’s duties until the new sheriff is elected.

The resignation comes after two law enforcement officers in the county were found guilty of crimes including smuggling drugs into a correctional facility and abuse of public records.