Jerome County is looking for a new prosecutor

JEROME, Idaho (KMVT/KSVT) —Jerome County is looking for a new county prosecutor, it’s the second time in less than two years.

The current one is stepping down from the position next week.

Samuel Beus is the current prosecuting attorney for Jerome County, but that won’t be the case come next Monday.

That’s because he doesn’t live in the county limits, which Commissioner Charles Howell says is one of the qualifications for the job, “Jerome County resident and a member of the Jerome Republican Party and be a practicing attorney.”

Beus was an assistant prosecuting attorney before being promoted to the main position in October 2023.

He says he planned to move to Jerome County, but it didn’t happen, “We were going to stay and then eventually move to Jerome if it happened that I took over after Brad was done or something.”

He says personal problems didn’t allow him to move before an October 5th deadline, which disqualified him as prosecuting attorney, even though he won his election back in November.

I asked Commissioner Howell why it’s required for the prosecutor to live in the county.

“The community, you know what the flavor of the community is and vice versa, it’s the rules,” Commissioner Howell explained.

As county leaders continue their search, they may once again find themselves bringing in someone living outside the area.

“If after 15 days of public notice, which is a notification in the paper, and no one comes forward again, then they may go outside the county, which obviously means that they do not have to be a resident of Jerome County, but they still must be a practicing attorney,” Howell stated.

If that happens, that person would have to move and live within the county limits.

Meanwhile, Beus says he wants to continue being a prosecutor for Jerome and is still willing to relocate, “I was hoping to be here in time to be validly elected but I hope I can remove those questions just by being committed and doing the job that that Jerome County deserves.”

Once a candidate comes forward meeting the qualifications, the people of Jerome County will still have to approve them.

Commissioner Howell says Jerome County hopes to appoint a prosecutor by the end of January.

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