ROGERS -- Benton County Sheriff Kelley Cradduck will run for re-election despite being under investigation by the Arkansas State Police, a campaign representative said Friday.
Cradduck does not plan to resign, Bill Adams said.
"Sheriff Cradduck fully intends to be the next sheriff of Benton County," Adams said.
State police special agents searched the sheriff's office Thursday, about the same time Cradduck announced his plans for re-election. The agents seized files from the office.
Adams and Drew Miller, Cradduck's attorney, held a news conference Friday morning outside Miller's office to discuss the case. Cradduck, under advice from Miller, did not attend. Miller has told Cradduck not to speak about the case until the investigation is over.
Cradduck is innocent and has cooperated with the state police, Miller and Adams said.
The case began as an administrative matter concerning two employees who filed grievances, Miller said.
Jeremy Guyll, former jail captain, and Robin Holt, former jail lieutenant, filed grievances with the county last week after being demoted by Cradduck. They claim their demotions were retaliation for cooperating with the state police investigation.
No hearing for either grievance had been set as of Friday.
Maj. Nathan Atchison of the sheriff's office and Dianna Goodwin, executive assistant in the sheriff's office, also told state police that Cradduck ordered the hiring date altered for sheriff's office employee Gabriel Cox, so Cox could be paid for time that he did not work, according to court documents.
Cradduck has confirmed knowing Cox, but wouldn't comment on how he knows him. County employment records obtained under the state's Freedom of Information Act show that when Cox was hired he listed his residence as the same Rogers address listed for Cradduck.
A special prosecutor was appointed Monday to handle the case. The prosecutor, Jason Barrett, works for the state Prosecutor Coordinator Office. His appointment came at the request of Benton County Prosecuting Attorney Nathan Smith.
Miller questioned the timing of the state police search Thursday. The search warrant wasn't necessary, because Cradduck would have cooperated and provided state police with any information requested, Miller said.
Cradduck plans to run a positive issue-centered campaign to secure his third term as sheriff, said Adams, who described himself as a campaign representative and friend of Cradduck's.
Cradduck officially filed to run Friday afternoon, as did Shawn Holloway, a major at the sheriff's office.
Lowell police Lt. Paul Pillaro and Siloam Springs police Sgt. Tim Filbeck filed paperwork earlier this week to also run for the Republican nomination for sheriff. The primary is March 1.
Glenn Latham, who works for Wal-Mart Stores Inc., will run for the position as an independent. Latham said he already has gathered more than the 1,900 signatures required to be on the ballot.
Metro on 11/07/2015