Five years. That is basically how long Monongalia County Sheriff’s Deputy Lance Kuretza had the weight of a federal indictment hanging over his head. If you followed the news back in 2022, you probably remember the headlines. They were everywhere. A West Virginia deputy accused of punching a handcuffed man. Allegations of pepper spray used as a weapon rather than a tool. A "cover-up" in the paperwork. It looked like a textbook case of police misconduct, the kind that makes national news and stays there.
But then, the trial happened.
Honestly, the story of Lance Kuretza is a lot messier than the initial press releases from the Department of Justice suggested. It involves a chaotic night at a Morgantown hotel, a suspect who was "pretty beaten up," and a jury that had to decide if a law enforcement officer was a "bully" or just a man doing a dangerous job in a high-adrenaline environment.
The Night at the Residence Inn
It all started on January 20, 2018. Monongalia County deputies were called to the Residence Inn in Morgantown. The initial call wasn't even about Quintin Graciano—the man who would eventually become the center of the federal case. There was a fight among a group of friends who had been in town for a WVU basketball game. They’d been drinking. They’d been smoking marijuana.
Things got rowdy.
When deputies arrived, they were told there might be a gun involved. That changes everything for a cop. Adrenaline spikes. You’re no longer just asking people to keep it down; you’re looking for a threat. During the investigation, deputies learned that Graciano was asleep in an adjoining room. Kuretza and another deputy entered that room to clear it.
The Conflict in Room 2
This is where the stories diverged wildly. According to the prosecution, Graciano was sound asleep and posed no threat. They argued that Kuretza had no legitimate reason to even enter that room under the Fourth Amendment. Once inside, they alleged Kuretza punched and elbowed Graciano in the face.
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The most damning part of the accusation? That after Graciano was handcuffed, Kuretza pepper-sprayed him and continued the assault.
Graciano’s attorney, Todd La Neve, later described the scene as "disgusting." He claimed Kuretza got in Graciano's face during booking and told him, "What you saw back there was me being calm. You want to see me lose my s—, try something when I take these cuffs off."
But the defense had a different take. Lyle Dresbold, Kuretza's attorney, argued that Graciano wasn't just "sleeping." He was flailing. He was swinging. At one point, he allegedly struck Kuretza. In that moment, the defense argued, the use of force was not only justified but necessary for the safety of the officers.
The Federal Indictment and the "Missing" Footage
Fast forward to August 2022. A federal grand jury indicted Monongalia County Sheriff’s Deputy Lance Kuretza on two counts:
- Deprivation of rights under color of law (basically using his badge to violate someone's constitutional rights).
- Falsification of records (accusing him of lying on his report to hide the post-handcuffing force).
The U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of West Virginia, William Ihlenfeld, pointed to body camera footage as "key evidence."
But there was a catch.
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Kuretza’s body camera actually shut off during the struggle. Now, if you’re a skeptic, that sounds incredibly convenient. The prosecution certainly thought so. However, the defense pointed out—and other deputies testified—that it’s actually pretty common for cameras to get bumped and turned off during a physical altercation.
Without a clear video of the exact moments the pepper spray was used, the case came down to "he said, she said," backed by medical reports and the testimony of other officers. One transport officer, Blain Fawley, testified that Graciano was "badly beaten" and had blood coming out of his ear. He was so concerned about a concussion that he spoke up. Kuretza, apparently, wasn't happy about the interference.
The Verdict: Not Guilty
The trial took place in July 2023 in Wheeling. It lasted four days.
The jury of seven men and five women listened to ten witnesses. They heard about the "adrenaline spike" that happens when a suspect resists. They heard Graciano admit he thought he was being robbed or killed because he didn't realize it was the police at first.
After nine hours of deliberation, the jury came back: Not Guilty on both counts.
Kuretza was reportedly shaking and hugging his lawyer. For him, it was the end of a five-year nightmare. For the community, it was a polarizing moment. Sheriff Perry Palmer noted that the verdict affirmed the department’s training policies, while U.S. Attorney Ihlenfeld stood by the decision to bring the charges, saying the "system worked" even if the outcome wasn't what the government wanted.
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Why the Lance Kuretza Case Still Matters
The case of Monongalia County Sheriff’s Deputy Lance Kuretza is a prime example of how difficult it is to prosecute police use-of-force cases. Even with a victim who ended up in the hospital and a $175,000 civil settlement (which Graciano received before the criminal trial), the "reasonable doubt" threshold is a high bar to clear.
So, where are we now?
As of early 2026, the dust has mostly settled, but the impact on Monongalia County remains. The case prompted serious discussions about:
- Body Camera Reliability: The "shuttered" camera in this case is exactly why many departments have moved toward cameras that are harder to accidentally deactivate or that trigger automatically when a weapon is drawn.
- Internal Accountability: The fact that a junior transport officer felt uncomfortable speaking up about a suspect's injuries is a red flag for any organization.
- The Civil vs. Criminal Divide: It’s vital to remember that a "not guilty" verdict in criminal court doesn't mean the incident didn't happen or wasn't problematic—it just means the government couldn't prove a crime beyond a reasonable doubt. The civil settlement suggests the county recognized some level of liability.
Actionable Takeaways for Residents
If you're following law enforcement issues in West Virginia or just want to know how to handle these situations, keep these things in mind:
- Public Records are Your Friend: You have the right to request use-of-force statistics and policy manuals from the Monongalia County Sheriff’s Office via FOIA requests.
- Civil Rights Resources: If you believe your rights have been violated, the civil path (like the one Graciano took) often has a different "preponderance of evidence" standard than the criminal path.
- Support Body Cam Initiatives: Transparency protects both the officer and the citizen. Modern "always-on" buffering technology helps prevent the "missing footage" scenarios that complicated this trial.
The Kuretza case is finished in the eyes of the law, but it’s a permanent part of the conversation regarding policing in Monongalia County.