WEC officer faces assault charges

An employee of the Nebraska Work Ethic Camp in McCook was arraigned Monday in Red Willow County Court on charges of sexually assaulting one of the camp's offenders.

Cpl. Darwin Lee Sagel, 40, of Herndon, was charged with second degree sexual assault of a prisoner or inmate and unlawful acts by a corrections employee, both Class IV felonies.

According to court documents, Sagel admitted to delivering love notes to a female offender at the Work Ethic Camp between July 1 and Aug. 8.

The offender accused Sagel of kissing, hugging and fondling her breasts in a laundry room at the facility.

Sagel has been released from jail on 10 percent of a $5,000 bond. He is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on Aug. 24, at 2:30 p.m.

The case was investigated by G. Britton, special deputy sheriff of the Nebraska Department of Corrections.

Raleigh Haas, director of the Work Ethic Camp, was not available for comment.