MARTINSBURG, W.Va. — Embattled Berkeley County Sheriff Nathan Harmon will resign from his elected position, effective Dec. 26.
The Journal reports the voluntary resignation is part of a plea agreement, which Harmon signed Dec. 3. The agreement was extended by Morgan County Prosecuting Attorney Daniel M. James on behalf of the state. By signing the agreement, Hamon has agreed to plead guilty to the misdemeanor offense of obstructing a law enforcement officer in violation of W.Va. Code 61-5-17(a).
In exchange, Harmon’s three additional misdemeanor charges from his October indictment — two of providing false information to a state trooper and one of obstructing a law enforcement officer — will be dismissed. The State will recommend that Harmon be fined $500, the maximum fine for obstructing a law enforcement officer.
The agreement will also require Harmon to provide a factual representation of how he allegedly interfered with Dep. William Henderson’s investigation into his daughter’s car crash in January, from which the criminal charges stem.
According to court documents, Harmon’s factual representation must include a statement saying he contacted former Dep. Matthew Larsen, requesting that he respond to the crash scene with a portable breath test, before testing his daughter, finding that she had an alcohol concentration above the legal limit. Harmon allegedly did not share this information with Henderson, thereby hindering his investigation.
Last month, Harmon pleased “not guilty” to all four charges.
Harmon submitted his letter of resignation to the County Commission on Tuesday, and his resignation is on the commission’s agenda for their meeting today.
“This decision comes with serious consideration for the well-being of my family and future endeavors,” Harmon wrote. “I do apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.”
Prior to his resignation, Harmon will be prohibited from changing the job duties/descriptions of the deputies currently employed with the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Department, which shall include hiring or termination decisions. During this time, said duties are temporarily delegated to Chief Deputy Tom Young.
According to court documents, once Harmon is no longer sheriff, petitioners from the Berkeley County Commission will file a motion to dismiss the civil case against him as moot. Filed in mid-November, the case includes 12 charges alleging misconduct and incompetence.
Elected in 2020, the Republican candidate ran a campaign that highlighted his desire to bring effective leadership to Berkeley County. In a candidate profile published in “The Journal,” Hamon said, “You have to be able to lead by example, be of good moral character and represent the people and their voice without prejudice and/or conflict of doing your own personal agenda.”
In his resignation letter, Harmon reflected on his three years in office.
“I truly have been honored and blessed to have been able to service the citizens of Berkeley County and to be able to accomplish all my promised goals within a matter of three years,” Harmon said. “We have definitely catapulted our Berkeley County Sheriff’s Department nto the 21st Century and I am very proud of our men and women who risk their lives daily that have helped me achieve these goals.”
According to West Virginia State Code, Harmon’s successor will be chosen by the Berkeley County Commission. The position must be filled within 30 days by someone of the same political party as the person vacating the office.
On Wednesday, the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office declined to comment regarding Harmon’s upcoming resignation.
