Republican sheriff resigns from jail after arrest for sexually abusing a minor: report

The Republican Sheriff of Lincoln County, Idaho resigned his position on Monday -- while being held in jail.

"Lincoln County Sheriff Rene Rodriguez officially resigned and has officially vacated that office as of Monday," KMVT-TV reports. "In the afternoon, Rodriguez was arraigned via video conference on multiple rape and lewd conduct with minor charges in a Blaine County courtroom."

The charges cover a nine-year timeframe.

"The court read five charges for lewd conduct with a minor under the age of 16, one per year, from August 2005 through August 2010, and two rape charges between August 2011 and August 2013," KMVT-TV added.

As Rodriguez is a Republican, the Lincoln Party Republican Central Committee has 15 days to give a list of three possible replacements to county commissioners, who then have an additional 15 days to make a selection.