A deputy in the Yamhill County Sheriff’s Office faces criminal charges after allegations surfaced recently that he posted sexually explicit videos of himself on social media.

David Richard Mills, 36, was charged with a dozen misdemeanor counts on Dec. 14, including first- and second-degree official misconduct, public indecency, second-degree disorderly conduct and abuse of venerated objects.

The charges, according to a YCSO release, stem from a complaint from a community member in September “over online content they believed to depict an employee of the Yamhill County Sheriff’s Office” engaging in sexual acts in public places, to wit the sheriff’s office and other county property.

Court records allege that Mills posted video online of him masturbating in a public building, exposing his genitals while wearing his uniform, masturbating in a patrol car, exposing his genitals in the sheriff’s office and a January 2022 incident where he allegedly masturbated into the water bottle of another person with the intent of that person unknowingly drinking it, then posted video of the incident online for his own financial benefit.

After consulting with the Yamhill County district attorney’s office, the YCSO determined that Mills’ acts were potentially illegal and a criminal investigation was necessary. The investigation was conducted by the Washington County Sherriff’s Office and then reviewed by the Benton County district attorney.

The investigation, the YCSO release said, determined that the social media posts were publicly accessible and potentially violated the internal policies of the sheriff’s office and the county. Soon after, Mills was placed on administrative leave as the investigation ensued.

The investigation was completed relatively quickly, the sheriff’s office said, despite the need to garner and serve search warrants on “large digital content platforms headquartered outside Oregon.” The YCSO is conducting an internal investigation as well.