Pubdate: Wed, 22 Dec 2004
Source: Arkansas Democrat-Gazette (AR)
Copyright: 2004 Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Inc.
Contact:  http://www.ardemgaz.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/25
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/corrupt.htm (Corruption - United States)

EX-DEPUTY ADMITS HE TOOK FUNDS, SHERIFF SAYS

MOUNTAIN HOME -- When state auditors recommended that the Baxter
County sheriff's office assign one officer to administer funds for
undercover drug purchases, Sgt. Curtis Sinor seemed the natural
choice, his boss said this week. "We trusted him so much," Baxter
County Sheriff Joe Edmonds said. "That's the reason he was the one
overseeing the money."

That made it all the more stunning when Sinor admitted to taking
$8,357.54 from the accounts he managed for the sheriff's office and
the 14 th Judicial District Drug Task Force, Edmonds said.

Sinor, a criminal investigator and a seven-year veteran of the sheriff
's office, repaid the money late Friday. Then he was arrested, charged
with felony theft of property and fired from his job, Edmonds said.
"It really surprised all of us," Edmonds said. "Curtis had an
unblemished record the whole seven years."

Sinor told officers that he took the money over a period of several
months and gave it to a family member who was down on his luck, the
sheriff said. He planned to replace the money before anyone noticed it
was gone.

But before Sinor could return the money, he learned that the sheriff's
office was about to undergo a routine state audit. "When he found that
out, he confessed to taking the money," Edmonds said.

Sinor, 41, declined to comment Monday.

Edmond said $5,000 was taken from drug task force's account and
$3,357.54 from the sheriff's office account. The funds are used by
undercover officers to buy illegal drugs.
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MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin