Former Llano County deputy faces child pornography charge
Connie Swinney
Staff Writer
In the wake of a recent family violence allegations, a former Llano County deputy now faces a charge of possessing child pornography.
Steven Andrew Sifford was taken into custody Sept. 1 at an east Texas bar known as Alibis in Groveton and booked into the Trinity County Jail.
A day later authorities transferred him twice – first to the Llano County Jail and then to Kerr County Jail – due to his former status with the LCSO facility where he had worked five years.
“We had the original charge of assault family violence,” Llano County Sheriff Bill Blackburn said. “We came into possession of some further evidence that we turned over to the DA's office that resulted in the latest arrest and charge.”
On Sifford's transfer out of the Llano County Jail, Blackburn added, “We don't normally keep our former employees in our jail. It's just policy.”
The child porn possession investigation unfolded after Sifford's termination from the LCSO during a joint investigation by the Texas Rangers, Llano County Sheriff's Office and the 33rd/424th Judicial District Attorney's Office.
Sifford was initially placed on administrative leave then eventually fired in July, after he turned himself into the Lampasas County Jail on the domestic violence charges investigated by the Llano Police Department . . . .
Read the rest of this story in the Friday, Sept. 6 issue of The Highlander, the newspaper of record for the Highland Lakes. To offer a comment or news tip, email connie@highlandernews.com. To subscribe to the publication, call 830-693-4367 or subscribe to our E-edition online.
