A deferred judgment has been granted for a Fairfield police officer. The Washington County Attorney’s Office announced that 31-year-old Ryan Mills was granted a deferred judgement for the charge of burglary in the second degree, a class C felony.

In January, while in uniform Mills was found to have stolen opioids from a veterinary clinic in Fairfield while it was closed. The Fairfield Police and Jefferson County Attorney’s Office brought in the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation to conduct the investigation. The Washington County Attorney’s Office was assigned as special prosecutor to avoid conflict.

At sentencing, the Iowa Department of Corrections recommended that Mills receive a deferred judgement. The Washington County Attorney’s Office resisted. The sentencing court agreed to grant a deferred judgement, meaning he will not receive a conviction on his criminal record. Mills will be placed on supervised probation by the Iowa Department of Corrections.