Deschutes County Sheriff’s lieutenant placed on leave pending criminal, internal investigations

Published 6:00 pm Friday, July 28, 2023

Deschutes County sheriff’s lieutenant placed on leave

The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office announced late Friday that a lieutenant working at the Deschutes County jail had been placed on paid leave pending the outcome of criminal and internal affairs investigations.

Lt. Joshua McGowan is under investigation by the Oregon State Police. The sheriff’s office did not say what crime is being investigated.

After the internal investigation, the sheriff’s office will determine if any policies were violated, and personnel action will be determined at that time, according to the release from the sheriff’s office.

Information about the criminal investigation will be released by the Oregon State Police or the Deschutes County District Attorney’s Office, the release said.

McGowan was hired as a Deschutes County sheriff’s deputy in 2013, then promoted to sergeant in 2015 and lieutenant in 2017, according to the state’s police and public safety officer database. Prior to that he worked at various state prisons. He is certified as a corrections officer.