ELY— The city council here placed an Ely police officer on unpaid administrative leave after he pled guilty, on Tuesday, to a charge of misconduct by a public officer/employee and exceeding authority.

Jason Allen Carlson, who now resides in Aurora, had been on paid administrative leave from the department since October 2015, when a grand jury indicted him on a third- degree sexual conduct charge. Carlson had refused to resign his police officer position and he had fought the allegations for more than a year, but with a jury trial set to begin this week, he opted for a plea to the lesser charge. “His signed plea agreement, which was approved, indicates he engaged in sexual conduct with an individual who was at least 16 years old but had not reached the age of 18, and he knew he could not do so,” said Ely City Attorney Kelly Klun.

Based on the guilty plea, Klun recommended that the council place Carlson on administrative leave. “The next step would be to complete our investigation based on these facts, to have a hearing, and to take dispositive action,” Klun said. “Dispositive action would mean termination, suspension, or some sort of disciplinary action, and with these facts we are comfortable in moving in that direction.”

Klun said the city is required to allow Carlson to be heard and a hearing will be scheduled, likely in closed session. Any action taken after the hearing will be in open session.

Carlson was released on $15,000 bail. He is scheduled for sentencing on Feb. 24. Under state law he could be subject to one year imprisonment or a fine of $3,000, but the plea agreement appears to stipulate that Carlson won’t serve any jail time for his offense.