A Washington County sheriff's sergeant who

was sentenced to two years of probation Thursday for first-degree official misconduct.

Daniel Cardinal appeared during a Washington County Circuit Court hearing, pleaded no contest to a single count of the misdemeanor as part of a plea agreement and was sentenced by a judge, said Sgt. Bob Ray, a sheriff's office spokesman. The deal also calls for Cardinal's law enforcement certification to be revoked.

Cardinal, 40, was never arrested in the case and he faced no charge until the hearing, which wasn't listed on the public court docket.

Chris Ramras, a Multnomah County deputy district attorney who prosecuted the case, and Washington County Circuit Court Presiding Judge D. Charles Bailey didn't immediately return calls.

Cardinal resigned in May after an investigation began into allegations made in an anonymous letter that he and other Washington County deputies had sex while on duty, sexually harassed female colleagues and engaged in other misconduct.

Ray said he hasn't seen court documents or police reports related to Cardinal's case and couldn't elaborate on what led to the charge against Cardinal.

Jonathan Christensen, a 38-year-old sheriff's corporal who was fired in August, was

on suspicion of first-degree official misconduct, fourth-degree assault, coercion and strangulation. He was fired after an internal investigation determined he showed up at a female coworker's home while he was in uniform, choked and forced her into continuing their sexual relationship. Christensen also was named in the anonymous email.

Christensen has pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Cardinal and another deputy had been placed on leave soon after the sheriff's office received the letter. Sheriff's officials have declined to name the third deputy, who remains on leave, but sources have identified him as Deputy Dave Bergquist. Bergquist wasn't named in the letter.

-- Everton Bailey Jr.

ebailey@oregonian.com

503-221-8343; @EvertonBailey