Sheriff John Sweet

Ray Sweet was elected sheriff after a 19-year career in Modoc County law enforcement. The most significant event during Ray’s term as sheriff was the massive Rainbow Family Peace Gathering of 1984 that reportedly drew 28,000 people to a site in the Warner Mountains on the Modoc National Forest. Sheriff Sweet and deputies were “on alert” on the perimeter of the camp. The counter-culture gathering may have shocked many locals but maintained its reputation of peace and love.