Former Benton County judge withdraws as sheriff candidate

BENTONVILLE -- Bruce Rutherford on Thursday removed his name from the list of those who seek to serve as interim sheriff.

Rutherford, who was county judge from 1989 through 1996, cited his job as investigator for the Prosecutor's office as a factor in his decision to withdraw his name.

Sheriff vacancy

The Benton County Clerk’s Office will accept letters of interest for the job of interim sheriff through noon today. The county’s Committee of the Whole will meet at 6 p.m. Monday to interview candidates. The goal is to name an interim sheriff at the Quorum Court meeting Thursday.

Source: Benton County

"This is a position I have held since 2007 and one that allows me to continue to serve the citizens of Benton County," he said.

Rutherford also said he was also prompted to withdraw after being questioned about controversies during his time as county judge. He and Mike Prather, one of his top assistants, were the target of an investigation over allegations involving the purchase of equipment for the county that included the FBI and dragged on for years after Rutherford left office. Rutherford never was charged in connection with the complaints. Prather was charged in 1999, more than five years after he left his post with the county. Those charges later were dismissed.

"There was never anything there and there's nothing there now," Rutherford said Wednesday. "It was all started by an opponent of mine one of the times I ran for judge. An FBI agent followed me around for five years and found nothing. I don't know why anybody would want to bring that up now. That kind of dirty politics is one reason why good people won't run for public office -- simply because of dirty politics. Anybody can say anything they want to about politicians and not be liable for it."

The Quorum Court last week approved paying Sheriff Kelley Cradduck $80,000 to resign. The figure is roughly equal to the salary and benefits he would have received if he had worked through December, which is the end of his term.

Cradduck was defeated in the Republican primary election in March. Shawn Holloway, who until recently was a major at the Sheriff's Office, won the Republican Party's nomination and will face Glenn Latham, an independent candidate, in the November election. Neither candidate is eligible to serve as interim sheriff under state law, according to George Spence, county attorney.

Cradduck faces a three-day jury trial in September on a felony charge he tampered with a public record and a misdemeanor tampering charge. He pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Two longtime law enforcement professionals submitted letters of interest Thursday. Lynn Hahn, a major at the Sheriff's Office, has served 12 years with the agency. He started as a part-time deputy and was hired full-time in 2007. Robert Bersi of Springdale, a 28-year veteran of the Springdale Police Department who retired in June as a captain in that department, also submitted his letter of interest.

Former sheriff Andy Lee, former sheriff Keith Ferguson and Mike Jones, former Rogers police chief and captain with the Sheriff's Office, have submitted letters of interest. Timothy Filbeck, who ran unsuccessfully for sheriff in the Republican primary in March, also has submitted his letter, along with Johnie Wood of Bentonville, Meyer Gilbert of Siloam Springs, Joseph Fabits of Bentonville and John Concoby of Rogers.

NW News on 04/22/2016

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