A former Garland County sheriff's investigator was arrested Tuesday and charged with a felony count of theft for allegedly stealing money from the Arkansas Narcotics Officers Association while serving as treasurer.
Michael V. Wright, 48, who resigned from the sheriff's department on July 1, 2017, with the rank of sergeant, was charged with theft of property more than $5,000, punishable by up to 10 years in prison, and later released on $3,500 bond. The case was filed direct to Garland County Circuit Court and an appearance date had not been set as of Thursday.
Wright, who lists a Pearcy address, was employed with the sheriff's department for 20 years, according to Garland County Sheriff Mike McCormick.
"Since I was first elected to sheriff more than three years ago, I have strived to improve the training, discipline and management of the Garland County Sheriff's Office," McCormick said. "One of the main things for improving accountability within the Sheriff's Office, I created a new process to investigate complaints made against employees.
"This process has allowed the Garland County Sheriff's Office to improve standards, adjusted training and provided criteria for everyone to follow. As a result, some people have left while others have become better employees.
"The basic standard is we will not tolerate dishonesty."
McCormick noted that a court order prevents him from commenting any further on the charge filed against Wright.
Wright was arrested by Arkansas State Police after a warrant was issued March 7 and the charge was filed by Jason Barrett, special prosecuting attorney for the 18th Judicial District East, after an investigation by ASP Special Agent Joe Pickett out of Little Rock.
According to the probable cause affidavit, on July 13, 2017, Pickett was assigned to conduct an investigation at the request of Barrett against Wright who was accused of stealing a felony amount of money from the ANOA during his tenure as the association's treasurer.
On July 18, Pickett made contact with Wade Baxter of the ANOA, who told him after the ANOA 2017 conference that he, Brandon Grimes, ANOA president, and Capt. Robb Rounsavall of the Mississippi County Sheriff's Office began asking Wright about the association's finances. Baxter said Wright was unable to provide the group with an ending balance but told them the balance would be "somewhere close to $5,000."
Baxter said this estimate "did not sound right" due to deposits that needed to be made and additional association dues that could be coming in. He said on June 25 he sent a text message to Wright and Grimes asking why the deposits in question had not been made. Wright reportedly responded he was "working on it" and still had money bags in his safe at home. Baxter noted the deposits were made a couple of days later.
Baxter said Wright texted him on June 27 asking to speak with him. He said Wright then called him and "began crying, stating he was sorry." Wright reportedly told him he was having financial trouble and had written checks to himself out of the association's account. He reportedly told Baxter "this had been going on for a couple of years."
Baxter said he asked Wright how much money was missing and Wright did not know. Baxter said he immediately notified the other ANOA board members of the situation. He said he spoke to Wright again on July 17 after Wright reached out to him via text and Wright "continued to deny knowing exactly how much money he took" from the ANOA.
Baxter said Wright told him he would be willing to reimburse the association $8,500.
On July 20, Pickett met with Rounsavall about the case and Rounsavall said he was advised on June 27 by Baxter that Wright had admitted to stealing funds, approximately $3,000 to $4,000. Rounsavall said he spoke to Wright on July 5 and Wright told him he was having "financial issues" and took the money to pay his bills. He said Wright told him he believed he had taken $3,000 to $4,000.
Rounsavall said Wright contacted him again on July 17 and asked if he could sit down with the ANOA's leaders and "pay back the money he stole." He reportedly said he would be willing to show them which checks he wrote to himself.
An audit was requested and completed by the Division of Legislative Audit and Pickett met with Auditor Jimmy Locke, who stated he had completed his analysis of the financial records, focusing on the revenues for January 2013 through July 2017. Locke noted there was a shortage of $8,147.95 during this period.
Locke also reported there was $25,084.68 worth of cash disbursements and reimbursements to Wright from the ANOA bank account that he determined to be "suspicious."
On Jan. 24, 2018, Pickett said he spoke to Grimes about the case, noting he had previously asked the ANOA board to review the "questionable withdrawals" by Wright as identified by Locke. Grimes said the board had examined the withdrawals and the approximately $8,900 shortage and would agree to "this loss total being recouped from Mike Wright."
Local on 03/16/2018