Former Wells County sheriff sentenced

by Anne Ehni

The Herald-Press

Reprinted with permission

Johnny Zip Lawson, former Wells County sheriff who faced multiple criminal charges, was sentenced Thursday, May 24, to 25 days of house arrest via electronic home monitoring. He must also pay a $500 fine. As part of an agreement made March 8, Lawson had previously pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges of providing false information to law enforcement and ingesting a controlled substance. At that time, other charges of conspiracy to deliver methamphetamine, bribery, public servant refusing to perform duty were dropped.

Appearing in Wells County Court before Southeast District Judge Daniel Narum, Lawson said, "I lost my career, my home. I fear for my life daily. I ask you please look at the whole situation. I ask you, please, your honor, to dismiss these charges."

Lawson described a difficult childhood and how he eventually became an informant and ultimately put his own mother in jail for use of drugs. He said it was shortly after he was appointed as sheriff in Wells County that he became aware of the hostile work environment there.

"I was walking into a fire pit, daily," he said.

Narum also listened to statements from Lawson's wife, Christine, and their son, Jude, as well as nearly an hour of testimony from Lawson's defense attorney, Peter Welte. Welte contended that grave friction between the Wells County Sheriff's Office, State's Attorney's Office, and the Clerk of Court's Office were factors that influenced the investigation of criminal charges against Lawson.

"The prosecution got personal," Welte said.

Welte requested Narum consider placing Lawson on house arrest with work-release privileges so he can provide for his family. He said Lawson has lost three jobs because of ramifications of the criminal charges. Welte said Lawson had secured employment that would start immediately.

"I don't believe that electronic home monitoring with work release would be a just punishment," said Jeremy Ensrud, an attorney with the North Dakota Attorney General's Office acting as a special attorney on behalf of Wells County State's Attorney Kathleen Murray in this case. "That's how most of us live. We get up, go to work and come home. I don't think that's a punishment."

In consideration of the plea agreement and testimony, Narum denied the request for work release. Lawson was given seven days to report to law enforcement in his county of residence to begin electronic home monitoring for 25 days.

"It is not lost on me that you were charged with a number of serious offenses," Narum said.