County Official Charged With Stealing from Coffers to Pave His Driveway
By: Lauren Trager, KARK 4 News
Updated: August 22, 2012
A top official in Faulkner County is accused of stealing from the county's coffers.
"Any time you have public money taken by a public servant, that's a problem and it can't be swept under the rug," says Prosecutor Cody Hiland.
A driveway on Highway 36 in Mt. Vernon may be crumbling a bit now. But four years ago, it was brand-new black top.
Trouble is: one neighbor noticed trucks paid for by Faulkner County delivering the asphalt.
"The allegations are that Mr. Johnston paved his own driveway," Hiland says.
In an affidavit filed Tuesday, Hiland says County Administrator Jeff Johnston used county-owned asphalt to blacktop the driveway.
At nearly 2 football fields long the cost was $4,000.
The affidavit states it was billed to a road project underway in another part of the county.
Hiland says federal agencies at first investigated the incident, but they told him it was better handled at the local level.
The affidavit also implicates other county officials of attempting to coverup the crime.
But Hiland says it's cut and dry-Johnston is definitely to blame.
"It's a pretty straightforward case, we feel like he's stolen property from the county and that's a problem there needs to be accountability for,"Hiland says.
"Anything you want to say on the charges?" the reporter asks Johnston. "I'll defer to my attorney," Johnston says.
KARK's camera was the only one rolling Tuesday afternoon as Johnston was escorted into the county jail in handcuffs.
Free on bond just a few hours later, his attorney told KARK, Johnston is innocent.
"We don't believe any wrong-doing was done and we are enting a plea of not guilty," says Johnston's attorney Joe Don Winningham.
Now both he and Prosecutor Hiland say they'll let the court decide.
"We look forward to going to court and clearing his name," says Winningham.
Two years later, a $4,000 donation was made to the county street fund. But Hiland says even if you pay back the money after robbing a bank, you should still be charged with the crime.
For the "B" Felony, Johnston could see 5-20 years in prison if convicted.
County Judge Preston Scroggin says he is behind Johnston. He thinks this is "pure politics" though he wouldn't elaborate.
Johnston will keep his job until the case goes through the court system.
"Any time you have public money taken by a public servant, that's a problem and it can't be swept under the rug," says Prosecutor Cody Hiland.
A driveway on Highway 36 in Mt. Vernon may be crumbling a bit now. But four years ago, it was brand-new black top.
Trouble is: one neighbor noticed trucks paid for by Faulkner County delivering the asphalt.
"The allegations are that Mr. Johnston paved his own driveway," Hiland says.
In an affidavit filed Tuesday, Hiland says County Administrator Jeff Johnston used county-owned asphalt to blacktop the driveway.
At nearly 2 football fields long the cost was $4,000.
The affidavit states it was billed to a road project underway in another part of the county.
Hiland says federal agencies at first investigated the incident, but they told him it was better handled at the local level.
The affidavit also implicates other county officials of attempting to coverup the crime.
But Hiland says it's cut and dry-Johnston is definitely to blame.
"It's a pretty straightforward case, we feel like he's stolen property from the county and that's a problem there needs to be accountability for,"Hiland says.
"Anything you want to say on the charges?" the reporter asks Johnston. "I'll defer to my attorney," Johnston says.
KARK's camera was the only one rolling Tuesday afternoon as Johnston was escorted into the county jail in handcuffs.
Free on bond just a few hours later, his attorney told KARK, Johnston is innocent.
"We don't believe any wrong-doing was done and we are enting a plea of not guilty," says Johnston's attorney Joe Don Winningham.
Now both he and Prosecutor Hiland say they'll let the court decide.
"We look forward to going to court and clearing his name," says Winningham.
Two years later, a $4,000 donation was made to the county street fund. But Hiland says even if you pay back the money after robbing a bank, you should still be charged with the crime.
For the "B" Felony, Johnston could see 5-20 years in prison if convicted.
County Judge Preston Scroggin says he is behind Johnston. He thinks this is "pure politics" though he wouldn't elaborate.
Johnston will keep his job until the case goes through the court system.
Johnson's former driveway. The County Administrator no longer lives here.
Comments
This happens all the time in Jeffrson county. The county Judge even has state inmates put new fences on Ramick Road for his relatives and pave roads for them. This common place for our county judge with our tax dollars.
Landen L.
August 21, 2012 at 6:35 pm
This happens all the time in Jeffrson county. The county Judge even has state inmates put new fences on Ramick Road for his relatives and pave roads for them. This common place for our county judge with our tax dollars.
Landen L.
August 21, 2012 at 6:26 pm
