A Multnomah County sheriff’s deputy, Mark Farmer, was suspended for 10 days following an incident where he punched a man he believed was having an affair with his wife, leading to a broken nose for the victim, Cody Johnson.
The event took place on October 9, 2023, one day after Farmer alleged he discovered the affair. Farmer confronted Johnson at his home in Battle Ground, intending to have a discussion, but the situation escalated into a physical altercation.
Farmer claimed during the internal affairs investigation that he grabbed Johnson’s arms in self-defense, believing Johnson was about to attack him. Evidence from the investigation indicated that Farmer hit Johnson in the head after they fell to the ground.
Johnson maintained that Farmer attacked him without any provocation, with medical records validating that his nose was fractured due to the incident. After Johnson and his wife, Katharine Johnson, filed for a protective order against Farmer, the sheriff’s office placed him on paid leave.
The internal affairs investigation was initially paused until the criminal case concluded, resulting in the dismissal of charges related to the incident in September 2024. Only then did the internal investigation resume, taking over 16 months to result in Farmer’s 10-day suspension.
Farmer has been with the Multnomah County sheriff’s office for ten years and earned a salary of $116,457 in 2024.
Internal affairs inspector Stephanie LaCarrubba initially accepted Farmer’s self-defense claim, suggesting his confrontation with Johnson was a lapse in judgment. However, this conclusion was later overturned by two captains who reviewed the case, asserting that Farmer’s self-defense claim was not plausible.
The investigation indicated that the alleged affair influenced Farmer’s emotional state, with captains noting they understood his feelings of anger towards Johnson. They expressed empathy for Farmer’s difficult situation due to personal matters.
Unlike the sheriff’s office, which relied on written statements and police reports, they did not interview Cody Johnson or Katharine Johnson directly. However, Farmer’s wife, Kristin Farmer, confirmed to investigators that she had a relationship with Johnson.
Cody Johnson has since declined to comment further on the incident, stating, “I’m trying to leave that part of my life behind me.”
Before the internal affairs report was finalized, Farmer had a history of disciplinary issues, including a reprimand for threatening another deputy just months prior to the altercation with Johnson.
The internal affairs investigator recommended a four-day suspension, noting one policy violation that brought discredit to the agency, while the review by two captains acknowledged that Farmer violated all three policies he was accused of — bringing discredit to the agency, conduct endangering others, and conduct conforming to law. One of the captains suggested a suspension of 13 days, while the other recommended 12.
Ultimately, Deputy Chief Carey Kaer determined that a 10-day suspension was the appropriate disciplinary measure, indicating that Farmer took full responsibility for his actions, despite his persistent denials of wrongdoing.
Farmer served the suspension after the lengthy period of paid leave and returned to his full duties on March 17. The Deputy Sheriff’s Association has since appealed the suspension, with the outcome of the appeal expected by the end of the year.
While the circumstances surrounding Mark Farmer’s actions were contentious and led to varying interpretations of the incident, the sheriff’s office’s investigation ultimately sought to address the conduct of Farmer and ensure adherence to agency policies in light of the serious nature of his actions.
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