A 25-year veteran of the Pulaski County sheriff's office is accused of stealing money from the agency to buy weapons as part of a "mail fraud scheme," the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas said Wednesday.
U.S. Attorney Christopher Thyer said in a statement that Kelvin Hendrix, 47, was arrested Wednesday when he reported for work at the sheriff's office.
According to the statement, Hendrix and Jennifer Gann, an employee of Cruse Uniforms and Equipment who was also arrested, stole sheriff's office money that was to be spent on uniforms and used it instead to buy at least 25 firearms.
Thyer said in the statement that Pulaski County Sheriff Doc Holladay immediately contacted federal authorities when the "scheme was discovered."
“While it is disheartening to learn that a 25-year veteran of the Sheriff’s Office would violate the public’s trust in such a manner, it is reassuring to know that Sheriff Holladay and the other good men and women of the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office will treat one of their own in the same manner they would treat any other person alleged to be involved in criminal activity,” Thyer said.
A grand jury will decide whether to indict Hendrix and Gann on a charge of mail fraud, the statement said. A conviction of mail fraud carries up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.
A spokesman for the U.S. attorney's office said Hendrix and Gann remained in custody Wednesday after making an initial appearance in federal court that afternoon.
A spokesman for the sheriff's office said Hendrix has been placed on administrative leave without pay.
Read Thursday's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for full details.