Rape charges were dismissed against a former deputy with the Island County Sheriff’s Office.

John Nieder, formerly a sergeant working on Camano Island, was charged with two counts of rape in the second degree in Skagit County Superior Court in 2022. He was accused of sexually assaulting women he met on a dating app while he was not on duty.

The charges against Nieder were dismissed without prejudice, which means they can be re-filed in the future. Chief Criminal Prosecutor Rosemary Kaholokula said the charges were dismissed because the prosecution was unable to prove the allegations beyond a reasonable doubt. She said she was unable to discuss the reasons behind the decision; the deputy prosecutor who handled the case is no longer with the office.

Nieder’s attorney did not respond to a

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