The Newton County assessor and deputy assessor have been arrested on felony theft counts, accused of buying $11,504 in personal items with county credit cards from 2010 through 2015, according to charges filed in Newton County Circuit Court.
Assessor Sheila McCutcheon, 58, and Deputy Assessor Desiray McCutcheon, 35, both of Vendor, were arrested Friday by the Arkansas State Police, said Bill Sadler, a spokesman for the agency.
The women were booked into the county jail in Jasper and released on their own recognizance, said Sheriff Keith Slape. They have yet to enter a plea in the case.
Desiray McCutcheon is Sheila's daughter-in-law, said Prosecutor David Ethredge of Mountain Home.
He said Sheila McCutcheon resigned Monday and Desiray McCutcheon no longer works for the assessor's office.
According to the charges filed by Ethredge, the Arkansas Legislative Audit examined purchases by the assessor's office and found they included several personal items on the county's credit cards. In December, the Arkansas State Police was called in to investigate.
On May 19, the women were interviewed and admitted using the credit cards to purchase personal items, according to the charges.
The purchases involved use of Wal-Mart credit cards meant for assessor's office supplies, according to a probable-cause affidavit from Ted Jones, a special agent with the state police.
"Bank records were also obtained showing both Sheila and Desiray McCutcheon made personal payments to the credit card account," according to the affidavit.
Ethredge said the personal items purchased included groceries.
"They were buying personal items there was no usage for in the function of an assessor's office," he said. "This is the taxpayers' money."
Ethredge said the county will follow state law in the temporary and permanent replacement of the assessor. Sheila McCutcheon was running unopposed for re-election.
County Judge Warren Campbell didn't return a telephone message left for him Tuesday inquiring about the process to replace the assessor.
According to Arkansas Code Annotated 14-14-1310(a)(1) "vacancies in all county elective offices shall be filled by the county quorum court."
Sheila McCutcheon, a Republican, had worked in the assessor's office for 22 years, according to a report in the Newton County Times. It appeared she had been assessor for 20 of those years, according to the article.
NW News on 06/22/2016