FAIRPLAY, Colo. — Park County Sheriff Tom McGraw, Undersheriff Steve Spodyak and Spodyak's wife Katie are personally suing the county manager for slander and defamation, alleging he spread damaging lies about them throughout the small Colorado mountain community.

“This has crossed the line,” Katie Spodyak said.

Watch: Denver7's Jennifer Kovaleski reports as the Park County sheriff takes the county manager to court over defamation claims

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Court filings obtained by Denver7 Investigates detail the allegations, including claims that Park County Manager Lucas Meyer told a sheriff’s deputy that Spodyak beat his wife, was arrested and that McGraw covered it up. The lawsuit also accuses Meyer of telling the deputy that Spodyak was “embezzling county funding” and that McGraw had been “receiving kickbacks” from a former county manager in the past. The lawsuit was first filed in February.

"I just about fell out of my chair. It was such a wild tale. I was astounded," McGraw said.

All three deny the claims.

“None of the allegations in this lawsuit are true,” Steve Spodyak said.

“Steve has never hurt me. He's...

Read Full Story: https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiyAFBVV95cUxQWnMtZzBZVE56RUxnQmVjMG1n...