Former Soap Lake officer acquitted

EPHRATA - A former Soap Lake police officer was found innocent of giving fellow law enforcement officers misinformation.

The case started during an investigation last year about alleged assaults being connected to a local motorcycle club.

Dustin Slabach, 32, was charged with two counts of making false statements to a public servant in Grant County District Court last year following an investigation by the Ephrata Police Department and the Grant County Sheriff's Office.

A trial concluded earlier in June and the six-person jury returned a unanimous verdict of not guilty.

Defense attorney Bryan McPartland was confident that the trial would end in an acquittal, but was wary of how the jury may see the case against his client.

"We absolutely believed that there was a good shot of getting an acquittal," McPartland said. "You can never be 100 percent certain because you never know what people are going to think of the evidence."

McPartland felt the state's evidence didn't give an accurate portrayal of Slabach's intentions.

"The conversation that was initiated was initiated by Dustin contacting law enforcement and letting them know the reports that they'd received were erroneous," McPartland said. "[Dustin] made not just a single effort, but multiple efforts to produce that information for law enforcement and what was disappointing not only to us, but to the jury, was that when presented with this information the investigating officers, every single one of them, ignored it."

The charges stemmed from an incident last June involving an e-mail sent by an Ephrata police officer to other law enforcement agencies concerning people with a local motorcycle club suspected of assault.

According to court documents, Slabach wanted to know where the officer received his information, but the officer refused.

Slabach then texted the officer the club president's phone number and suggested he contact him.

The officer stated "So what you are saying you told him about my [e-mail]?"

Slabach responded "No, I told him that there is some confusion and it needs to be cleared up so there is no issues."

This exchange was the first time prosecutors alleged that Slabach had lied to police because when law enforcement contacted the club president he relayed information that was specific to the e-mail sent out.

Prosecutors also alleged Slabach lied to Grant County sheriff's deputies when he stated that he had not shared any information with the club president.

According to court documents, after Slabach continued to be questioned he allegedly admitted to sharing information in the e-mail with the club president.

Slabach now works in the agricultural industry instead of law enforcement.

Slabach declined an interview, but provided a statement through McPartland.

"I'm happy with the verdict, am glad this is all behind me and am looking forward to moving on to a new phase in my life."