A Lane County deputy who was arrested last week on child exploitation charges has resigned from the sheriff’s office.
Dylan Ford, 29, was arrested by the FBI for allegedly exchanging explicit messages and videos with multiple children under the age of 16. He was also accused of impersonating a colleague while talking to children online.
Ford has been under investigation by the FBI and the Linn County Sheriff’s Office since late June, when Lane County received a tip that he had an inappropriate relationship with a minor in another county.
A federal judge last week ordered his detainment.
Ford had been on unpaid administrative leave. In a news release Monday, the Lane County Sheriff’s Office said Ford had resigned, but the internal investigation was ongoing. The findings will be sent to the state’s Standards and Training Board, which will consider whether to revoke his corrections officer certification.
Ford had worked at the Lane County Sheriff’s Office for 7 1/2 years. He is not listed as working at any other department’s in the state’s law enforcement database.
In a statement last week, Lane County Sheriff Carl Wilkerson said his office was fully cooperating with the criminal investigation.
“I am very sad and disgusted by this conduct, but I am committed to the protection of our community and to holding all offenders accountable,” Wilkerson said.
The sheriff’s office urged anyone with additional information to contact the FBI at 1-800-225-5324.
