PROBATION OFFICER PLEADS GUILTY

A Malheur County Community Corrections probation officer arrested in
late October during an investigation by the Malheur County Sheriff's
Office and High Desert Task Force pleaded guilty to one count of
official misconduct, a misdemeanor, in a Malheur County courtroom
Tuesday afternoon.

Sydnie Maglaughlin, 36, Nyssa, is slated to go through a drug and
alcohol evaluation and must relinquish her Department of Public Safety
license, which means she will not be able to work in any law
enforcement capacity.

The Malheur County District Attorney's Office is also seeking a 30-day
jail sentence. Maglaughlin was arrested Oct. 30 pertaining to charges
of possession of a controlled substance, third-degree theft and
third-degree official misconduct, according to a Malheur County
Sheriff's Office press release from October.

Malheur County Sheriff Andy Bentz said at the time, an investigation
of Maglaughlin began following a report to the sheriff's office
specifically about her and her position for community corrections,
which is where the official misconduct charges originated.

"The information came to us that there were irregularities and
inconsistencies noticed and the possibility of prescription items
missing," Bentz said in October. Malheur County Deputy District
Attorney Erin Landis said Wednesday her sentencing will occur sometime
in February though he did not have an exact date as of yet.

He said the issue was complicated by the fact Maglaughlin knows both
Malheur County judges because of her work as a probation officer. Her
plea hearing Tuesday was overseen by Umatilla County Circuit Court
Judge Garry L. Reynolds.

Landis said a visiting judge will oversee her sentence proceedings as
a precaution against bias.

"Anytime a judge has worked extensively with someone, they will recuse
themselves," Landis said.