Custer County deputies accused of ignoring and tasing teen “human trafficking victim”
CUSTER COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) - A lawsuit has been filed against former deputies of the Custer County Sheriff's Office (CCSO) alleging that the deputies who responded to a call about a runaway teenager ignored signs of sexual assault and human trafficking and instead repeatedly tased a 16-year-old girl.
The lawsuit claims that the plaintiff had been 16 years old less than a week and had run away from home on January 18, 2022, when officers located her with two adult men, including 51-year-old Ray Running-Eagle, in a trailer in Westcliffe, CO.
According to the lawsuit, “By all appearances, Mr. Running-Eagle and his unidentified male companion were having a party on a Tuesday afternoon where the only guest was a 16-year-old girl.”
The lawsuit alleges that when deputies arrived, they ignored the men giving a minor alcohol and instead found the teen in a closet and then handcuffed her. After handcuffing her, a deputy walked her outside where the deputies claimed she tried to bite them.
The lawsuit says that two deputies placed the teen into a car but she would not let the door close all the way. A deputy then allegedly deploys a taser on her and shuts the door. A deputy then returned to the trailer to question Running-Eagle and inform him that there was a warrant for his arrest. Deputies did not arrest Running-Eagle at this time. He allegedly told deputies that he "regularly helped girls like [the plaintiff] by letting them stay at his trailer."
Lawsuit documents say that deputies drove the teen to the CCSO and when she refused to get out of the car, they tased her again. Other deputies standing around the car made no attempt to stop the use of force.
The lawsuit claims that the tasing was excessive force by the deputies.
The CCSO issued a statement in response to the lawsuit.
The Custer County Sheriff's Office received notification, today January 17, 2024, that a lawsuit had been filed against three former deputies and one current detention deputy. The lawsuit alleges that a deputy used excessive force while arresting a 16 year old and that two other former deputies along with one current detention deputy failed to intervene. The incident occurred on January 18, 2022 under a previous Sheriff's administration.
The current sheriff, Rich Smith, has not been served yet with the lawsuit but is very concerned about the allegations. Sheriff Smith requested today the Colorado Bureau of Investigation review the January 18, 2022 incident which is documented on body worn
cameras and in police reports. Sheriff Smith volunteered to support their findings, up to and including the possibility of criminal charges.
Sheriff Smith also notified the Colorado POST director of the allegations.
Custer County Sheriff's Office
The Custer County Sheriff's Office requested that the teen be charged with misdemeanor resisting arrest but that charge was dismissed by the District Attorney's Office. Neither Ray Running-Eagle nor the unidentified companion were ever investigated for harboring a runaway, contributing to the delinquency of a minor, sexual assault, or human trafficking.
