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Shepherdstown Police Department addresses public interference with arrest

By Tabitha Johnston - Chronicle Staff | May 27, 2022

SHEPHERDSTOWN — On Friday by the Shepherdstown Public Library’s current location at 100 East German Street, a pedestrian recognized the face of a man, Shepherdstown resident Sterling Schley, who was wanted by the state of West Virginia on two charges: domestic battery and violating a protection order.

The pedestrian notified the Shepherdstown Police Department about the sighting, and soon after, sent Corporal Casey Yonkers to arrest Schley.

“He was seen and reported to the Shepherdstown Police Department by someone who knew of his warrant,” said SPD Chief of Police Mike King in a phone interview on Sunday morning.

When Yonkers arrived at the location, he recognized Schley, just as the pedestrian did, and proceeded to arrest Schley. According to King, this kind of situation is not uncommon for his officers to deal with, and could have been easily ended with minimal effort. Unfortunately, that is not how the arrest played out.

“He refused to cooperate or be fingerprinted. He resisted arrest, did not want to be handcuffed and told the officer he wasn’t Sterling Schley. But the officer knew him, so he knew that he should proceed with the arrest,” King said, mentioning the details of the arrest can be verified by the footage of the arrest recorded on Yonkers’ body camera.

When Schley resisted his arrest, King said Yonkers faithfully followed departmental protocol on how to handle the situation. But, unfortunately for Yonkers, the protocol required him to act more forcefully with Schley, to complete the arrest. And that force drew a crowd of bystanders, some of whom allegedly tried to insert themselves in the situation, which they apparently misunderstood to be evidence of police brutality.

The actions of the bystanders, while well-meaning, made an already difficult arrest even more complicated. Yonkers, thankfully, soon received backup with the arrest from Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department and Shepherd University Police Department units, King said.

“If we have a warrant for somebody, we have to serve that warrant, and we intend to do just that. We are required to complete an arrest, regardless of whether or not it is being resisted,” King said. “The police cannot just not arrest someone, because they are refusing arrest. We have to follow procedure.”

According to King, at least one individual, a library staff member, interfered with the arrest to such an extent that he or she may be charged for interfering with an arrest. The Shepherdstown Police Department will first analyze the body camera footage from the arrest with the state prosecutor, to determine if the charge should be made.

“If it clearly distracted him from his job, then the person who interfered can be charged with obstruction of justice,” King said, mentioning he was stunned to hear about the bystander interference. “This is the first time in Shepherdstown that I can remember a citizen interfering with an arrest.”

While it is uncertain if any of the bystanders will be charged for their actions on Friday, Schley automatically earned himself two more charges to his name that day: for obstructing/resisting and refusing to be fingerprinted.

“He got additional charges, because he refused to comply with his arrest. He’d probably be out of jail right now, if he’s even in jail right now, if he had not refused to be arrested,” King said, mentioning he did not believe Schley had posted bail as of Sunday, and that he was therefore likely still in Eastern Regional Jail. “The public’s behavior didn’t help the situation.”

The Shepherdstown Public Library declined to comment on the incident and interference of its staff member in the arrest.