Continuance granted for Jailer’s trial

Rachel Stromayer enters plea

The familiar refrain of “continuance” was sung again last week in the District Court of Gunnison County just as Gunnison County Sheriff’s Deputy Michelle Zadra was preparing to take the stand. 

Zadra, a captain with the Gunnison County Sheriff’s Department with almost 20 years of service at the jail, was placed on administrative leave after she was charged in September with two felonies involving perjury, along with two misdemeanors.
Zadra was one of five people netted in a Colorado Bureau of Investigation probe into illegal activity at the jail last year that uncovered a scene of sex, drugs and official misconduct. Along with Zadra, two other jail employees, an inmate, and his wife were arrested on charges ranging from perjury to intimidating a witness.
But on Monday, February 22, District Attorney Myrl Serra dropped the third count against Zadra, which was conspiracy to commit perjury. At the same time, the defense made a motion to compel the appearance of co-defendant Melissa Rogers as a witness. As a result, the court continued the three-day trial until a later date.
That later date may come at the same time as Melissa Rogers, a former sergeant at the jail, goes on trial April 26. She was also charged with two misdemeanors and two felonies, including perjury
After several delays, one of the other five people charged, Rachel Stromayer, finally entered a plea in District Court February 16. Stromayer was charged last September with conspiracy to commit intimidating a witness or victim, a class 5 felony.  She is the former wife of inmate Joseph Stromayer, who is charged with introduction of contraband, conspiracy to introduce contraband, conspiracy to commit perjury, third-degree assault, intimidating a witness and conspiracy to intimidate a witness.
On February 16, the court was “tendered a deferred sentencing stipulation, plea agreement and petition to plead guilty in exchange for a so-called afford plea to conspiracy to commit the crime,” according to court documents.
An Alford plea is a guilty plea in which Stromayer maintains her innocence. That type of plea is commonly used when making a plea deal. A second misdemeanor charge against Stromayer for theft was dropped.  Her charge carries a sentence of one to three years and mandatory two years probation, but the sentence was deferred for 24 months, meaning no jail time and only a substance abuse evaluation.
Tawnya Sponable, a former jail employee who later married inmate Joseph Stromayer, is scheduled to appear in court March 12 to enter a plea.  As of press time, there was no new information available on the status of Joseph Stromayer’s case.