KTLA

Sacramento sheriff who refused to enforce COVID-19 measures tests positive for coronavirus

Sacramento County Sheriff Scott Jones is seen in a photo distributed by KTXL.

Sacramento County Sheriff Scott Jones has tested positive for the coronavirus, the Sheriff’s Office said Wednesday.

Jones developed symptoms last week “after a workplace exposure to an employee that later tested positive,” KTLA sister station KTXL reported, citing sheriff’s officials.

On Friday, Jones started experiencing a fever, congestion, light-headedness and a headache, according to the sheriff’s office.

Jones’ symptoms were said to be mild, and had mostly gone away by Wednesday, officials said.

The sheriff and his immediate family are quarantining as his family members await test results.

Jones was among the sheriffs in California who said they would not enforce the new curfew and stay-at-home order issued by Gov. Gavin Newsom last month, citing the county’s previous success with previous health guidelines, according to KTXL.

“I have a tremendous amount of faith in folks to make those assessments relative to COVID,” Jones said.

The sheriff noted in late November that no residents had been cited for violating restrictions aimed at curbing the spread of the virus.