CHARLESTON, W.Va. — A former Kanawha County sheriff’s deputy will remain behind bars while he faces federal sex crime charges.
Cass Close, 55, appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Dwane Tinsley Friday afternoon in the federal courthouse in Charleston. Close was arrested in July 2025 after he allegedly sexually assaulted a female inmate at the Kanawha County Judicial Building. He was working as a court bailiff at the time.
Friday’s preliminary and detention hearings were the first appearances by Close in federal court in the case. He previously faced state charges, but those were dismissed last week when the FBI filed criminal charges. Kanawha County Prosecutor Debra Rusnak told MetroNews that the state stepped aside because a federal conviction would bring more prison time.
Close is now represented by a new lawyer, Rachel Zimarowksi. His lawyer while he faced state charges was Matthew Victor. While Close waived his preliminary hearing, Judge Tinsley heard arguments from Zimarowski and Jennifer Herrald from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for Southern West Virginia.
Zimarowski requested that Close could reside with his daughter, Cassie Close, in South Carolina. She said that an inspection of that home could be done. Close’s daughter and her husband are both employed, Zimarowski said.
Meanwhile, Herrald held that federal prosecutors believe Close should remain detained because of a “very strong” case built against him. She said there are “very serious allegations” against Close and maintained that the former sheriff’s deputy committed these actions several times. While one female inmate’s accusations are at the center of the case, Herrald mentioned that three additional victims have been mentioned in a civil suit against Close.
Herrald said that the female inmate was detained on the seventh floor of the Kanawha County Judicial Building on the day of the reported misconduct by Close. According to Herrald, the inmate was taken from her cell multiple times throughout the course of that day by Close into his office. Close is accused of forcing the inmate to engage in sex acts and allegedly took images of the inmate’s private area. Herrald said the inmate was in ankle shackles the entire time.
The inmate disclosed the acts to her lawyer “almost immediately” after it happened, Herrald reported. She went on to say that Close confessed that the sex acts had occurred. The reported assault included Close pushing the inmate’s head against a wall, where her hair apparently caught on a box. Herrald said that investigators found hair in that box later that matched the inmate.
Herrald said Close committed a “blatant and egregious offense by a sworn law enforcement officer.” She said that it was Close’s job to protect the inmate as a court bailiff and he breached that responsibility. Herrald said that federal law enforcement has met with two of the three other alleged victims, which underscored that this was not an isolated incident.
In arguing against Zimarowski’s request to release Close to his daughter’s custody, Herrald argued that Close has shown multiple times that he doesn’t think the law applies to him. She said that releasing Close to another state, South Carolina, would be wrong as he has many out-of-state connections.
Zimarowski highlighted Close’s family ties, specifically with his daughter, to support his release. She said that the daughter’s husband is an active-duty military member and would “not allow any shenanigans to happen” under his roof. Since Close has been in custody since last July, Zimarowski said that he is not a flight risk. She said he doesn’t have the financial resources to flee.
Zimarowksi said that Close’s daughter agreed that she would transport him to and from South Carolina for the federal court proceedings. She said that this case is the first time that Close is alleged to break the law, adding that Close has never even gotten a traffic ticket before.
Herrald contested the request for the daughter to take custody of Close, noting that there would be significant periods of time where no one was home, given that Close’s daughter and her husband both have jobs. Herrald cited Close’s alleged breaking of the law before, saying there’s no guarantee that he wouldn’t do it again if he were free. She said the situation is “not ameliorated” because his badge was taken away; he still could break the law if he were remanded to South Carolina.
The nearly 20-minute hearing ended with Tinsley citing no significant ties to the community by Close. Tinsley said that Close has strong ties across several states, including his home state of Indiana, Arkansas, Michigan, and South Carolina. Because of those out-of-state ties, Tinsley said the court found that Close was at risk for a nonappearance. He said that if the allegations are true, Close poses a danger to others and the community.
Tinsley said there are no conditions, or combinations of conditions, that will facilitate Close’s release before the federal proceedings. Tinsley remanded Close to U.S. Marshals custody for the remainder of the federal investigation.
Close’s case now heads to a federal grand jury for a potential indictment.