A federal indictment from the state of Washington led to the arrest of an attorney with the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office.
The FBI arrested 40-year-old Michael Jolstead, an assistant district attorney for Sedgwick County, on Friday morning.
The DA’s Office confirmed that Jolstead is no longer with the office; he served in his assistant DA role for about five months, since late June.
The DA’s Office said Jolstead “completed the standard pre-employment background check required for the position” of assistant district attorney.
“In addition, Jolstead satisfied the character and fitness requirements associated with admission to practice law in Kansas through the Kansas Bar admission process,” the Sedgwick County DA’s Office explained.
Prior to working in Sedgwick County, Jolstead was a practicing attorney in the state of Washington.
Records and past reports show he served as deputy prosecutor for Spokane County, Washington, and more recently, defense attorney for the Spokane Public Defender’s Office.
The Sedgwick County DA’s Office included the following statement:
“The District Attorney’s Office takes transparency, accountability, and ethical conduct seriously. When concerns arise involving any employee, our office addresses them promptly and through the appropriate processes.”
