Gag order issued in county personnel case

The Sublette County Commission spent about 30 minutes in executive session Tuesday with Sheriff Hank Ruland and Undersheriff Henry Schmidt to discuss a personnel issue.

The executive session was requested by Ruland and Schmidt. No explanation or action was offered when the commission came back into open session.

About an hour later, Ruland was contacted by the Examiner and said that after the meeting he had contacted Circuit Court Judge John V. Crow, who told Ruland he was not allowed to discuss the issue.

Ruland confirmed that Crow had issued a verbal gag order. Crow confirmed that no information could be disclosed, "We can't disclose even the 'it' of the filing."

Crow said no information can be disclosed prior to the filing of information or until the matter is transferred to the district court.