Judge rules Sergeant Elliott violated court’s gag order, District Attorney’s Office sanctioned for the cover-up, Undersheriff Barnes fired

Judge rules Sergeant Elliott violated court’s gag order, District Attorney’s Office sanctioned for the cover-up, Undersheriff Barnes fired

District Court Judge Lauren Swan issued a verbal ruling in her courtroom in Cañon City on December 30 that Custer County Sergeant Pete Elliott had violated the Court’s gag order using two Facebook accounts with fake names on May 8, 2025. Judge Swan further ruled that the District Attorney’s Office had violated evidence rules known as “Rule 16” by not sharing the Wet Mountain Tribune’s investigation into Sergeant Elliott with Hanme Clark’s defens…