Ex-employee pleads guilty, says he defrauded Pulaski County sheriff's office of more than $40,000

A former Pulaski County sheriff’s office employee pleaded guilty Tuesday to conspiracy to commit mail fraud, according to a news release.

Kelvin Hendrix, 48, of Bauxite worked with a North Little Rock woman to steal money from the law enforcement agency, said Patrick C. Harris, acting U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas.

Jennifer Gann, 36, also pleaded guilty to the same charge, according to the release.

During his 25 years with the sheriff’s office, Hendrix “managed the purchase and distribution of uniforms and equipment for all employees working at the jail,” the release said. Pulaski County jail uniforms and equipment are bought from Cruse Uniforms & Equipment.

Hendrix worked with Gann, who was employed by the uniform firm, to steal money allocated by the jail for these materials and buy their own items from the company, according to in U.S. attorney's office.

The two stole money by taking advantage of jail employees’ uniform and equipment allowance, the release said. Hendrix gave Gann a list of employees who had not spent their entire allowance, and Gann reportedly made “false purchase invoices for items purportedly purchased by those employees.” After the jail paid for the items, Gann made a second invoice showing the items had been returned and gave Hendrix store credit for the items, authorities said.

In December 2015, Gann made a fake invoice showing that the sheriff’s office had bought over 40 T-shirts, valued at $526, according to the release. Her second invoice showed the return of the shirts, and Hendrix received $526 in store credit, authorities said. He used the credit to buy two guns, the release said.

Hendrix bought more 40 guns with store credit obtained in this manner, Harris said in a statement. Hendrix and Gann admitted to defrauding the sheriff’s office of between $40,000 and $95,000, authorities said.

The pair will be sentenced Oct. 12.

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