Crook County judge sentences man to 7 1/2 years in assault on deputies

A Crook County judge imposed a 7 1/2-year prison sentence on a 37-year-old man Monday after a jury convicted him of resisting arrest, aggravated harassment, disorderly conduct and criminal mischief for assaulting deputies, including flicking blood at them.

Chief Deputy District Attorney Aaron Brenneman said that after a four-day trial that began July 5, a jury deliberated for 25 minutes before convicting Curtis Leroy Hooper., 37 on all charges he faced.

In 2013, Hooper received a $325,000 settlement against Jefferson County after a jailer smashed his hands with a jail door. A $5 million federal police brutality lawsuit he brought against Crook County over his arrest (that led to his jailing in Jefferson County) was dismissed that same year.

The lawsuit respondents contended Hooper was disruptive and assaulted and threatened deputies.

On March 8 of this year, Crook County sheriff’s deputies arrested Hooper for a parole violation. Brenneman said Hooper resisted and fought with the deputies and “was placed in a special restraint system due to his past interactions with law enforcement.”

While being transported to the Jefferson County Jail, where Crook County rents beds due to lack of space, Hooper was able to move over to the transport van’s window and broke out the side window with his head, Brenneman said.

Hooper was then taken back to the Crook County Jail, where the prosecutor said “he continued to verbally berate officers and threaten them. He then proceeded to flick blood” at Undersheriff James Savage and Sgt. Ryan Seaney; Brenneman said Hooper had cut his hand when he was pulled out of the transport van after breaking the window.

Crook County Circuit Judge Daniel Ahern on Monday imposed a 90-month prison term and two years post-prison supervision. The prison sentence was 45 months each on two counts of aggravated harassment, to be served consecutively, Brenneman said.