Franklin sheriff found in contempt. He faces thousands in fines

The Franklin County sheriff will personally have to pay a fine for each day he delays turning over some county-owned property after being found in contempt of a court order.

Walla Walla Superior Court Judge Brandon Johnson ruled at a hearing Thursday that Sheriff Jim Raymond is violating his previous order to give the items to the county’s corrections department.

The equipment includes six guns, a fingerprint scanner, a patrol car and some Taser cartridges.

“Sheriff Raymond is in contempt of the May 13, 2026, order of this court. It is willful disobedience of a lawful court order, and there is no question that Sheriff Raymond has the ability to comply with that order, said Johnson via video link. He was assigned to hear the case because of a conflict with judges in Benton and Franklin counties.

Johnson’s decision followed an 1 1/2-hour hearing at the Franklin County Courthouse in Pasco. The equipment needs to be turned over by the end of the day on Wednesday, May 27. If it’s not, Raymond will be fined $500 a day since Thursday’s hearing, for a total of $3,500.

Then he will face a $1,000 per day fine for each day the equipment is not delivered.

Another hearing is scheduled for June 3 if Raymond doesn’t obey the order. Johnson ordered everyone involved in the case to appear in the courtroom on that day, including Raymond.

The sheriff did not attend Thursday’s hearing. Only the attorneys from both sides were there.

“Sheriff Raymond is also on notice that the court will have to consider coercive sanctions above and beyond monetary penalties and will do so on June 3 should that hearing be necessary,” he said. “I do not want that to be necessary.”

Johnson’s decision came after Raymond’s attorneys first tried to ask for a delay in transferring the equipment until the state Court of Appeals can rule.

Franklin gun dispute

The dispute stems from a decision last year, when the county commissioners removed the jail from the sheriff’s department and created a new corrections department.

When the county took over jail operations, Sheriff Raymond initially took 30 guns from the jail that were licensed under his office. He later returned them.

Six other guns are still in the sheriff’s office. The county also took over issuing security cards to employees, and demanded that a patrol car and one of the two fingerprint machines at the sheriff’s office be returned.

Raymond said he needs to maintain control over the security cards to protect the security at the courthouse.

Officials said the newer fingerprint machine has features that are needed for daily use in the office and that a detective is already driving the patrol car.

The sheriff’s office still has access to the security logs for people coming and going from the courthouse.

However, Johnson ruled in February that the county owns the property, so the commissioners can decide what to do with it.

He also noted he can’t weigh in on whether it’s a good or bad idea for the commissioners to remove the equipment.

Johnson signed the order on May 13, but Raymond has refused to follow the order.

This story was originally published May 21, 2026 at 7:03 PM.