Spokane Sheriff’s Office Candidate Fired After Writing Letter in Support of Child Porn Suspect

(Spokane, WA) -- A candidate for Spokane County Sheriff is out of a job following an internal misconduct investigation into allegations he knowingly helped a child porn suspect. Sheriff Ozzie Knezovich says Deputy Craig Chamberlin has been fired from the office after he wrote a character reference for his daughter's club volleyball coach--a man charged with possession of child pornography.

Chamberlin stated that he wrote the reference letter back on Sep. 5, 2021, and was notified of the investigation two months after writing it. He denies having any involvement in the coach’s investigation, and says he did not know of the charges against the man at the time. However, Knezovich says Chamberlain told two detectives that he was aware of the child porn charges before he wrote the letter.

Chamberlain has been on administrative leave for the past month. He plans to fight the termination.