Former Jasper County deputy cleared in court on drug charges

A former Jasper County sheriff’s deputy was acquitted of drug charges Tuesday. John Guthrie says he feels vindicated by the justice system. He was accused of taking a quarter-pound of marijuana from a drug dealer’s car and giving it to an acquaintance to sell. The charges were filed the day after Guthrie lost the democratic primary election for sheriff to current Sheriff Mike Balmer. Guthrie says it was all politically motivated, and it succeeded in ruining his political and professional careers.Guthrie’s attorney, Timothy McCarthy of West Des Moines, also thinks the drug charges were filed because of the primary election.Prosecutor Harold Young, from the Iowa Attorney General’s Office, says politics were not involved and the defense didn’t produce any evidence in an attempt to prove it did play a role. Young says it’s unfair to claim political motivation when they couldn’t produce any evidence in court to back up their claims.Guthrie still has a civil suit pending against Sheriff Balmer and the county attorney.