Copyright 2000 The Commercial Appeal
The Commercial Appeal (Memphis, TN)
September 27, 2000, WEDNESDAY, FINAL EDITION
SECTION: NEWS, Pg. A7
LENGTH: 396 words
HEADLINE: EX-CRITTENDEN OFFICIAL TO PAY UP
BYLINE: Bartholomew Sullivan The Commercial Appeal
BODY:
The former juvenile officer for Crittenden County, Ark., charged last year with theft after a state audit found he'd written $ 27,400 in unauthorized checks, has been ordered to repay the debt in $ 241 monthly installments.
Jerry B. Driver, 60, pleaded no contest to the theft charge March 27 and Circuit Judge David Burnett ordered him placed on probation, then authorized a transfer of the probation to authorities in Michigan, where Driver now lives. Restitution was ordered at the time, and the issue was initially left open, court files show.
The county has made a claim with the Arkansas Governmental Bonding Board to have the loss reimbursed. That board is scheduled to meet Oct. 10.
Crittenden County Quorum Court member Jim Turner has been adamant that the county get its money back and was harshly critical Tuesday that the county - the victim of the crime - allowed Driver to get away without some time behind bars.
"Tell me when Crittenden County has put someone in jail for stealing our money,'' he told a specially called meeting of the Quorum Court. "No one has been to jail for stealing the county's money.''
Also at Tuesday's meeting, Turner urged county officials to remain vigilant in their efforts to get the money back, either directly from Driver or from the state bonding authority.
Court records indicate that on Aug. 3, Burnett revisited the issue of restitution and ordered $ 27,684.19 repaid in monthly installments beginning Sept. 15. At $ 241 a month, it would take more than nine years to pay off the debt.
Because of the complexity of accounting for monthly fees and fines, it could not be determined whether the first installment was made on time.
Driver's lawyer, Kent J. Rubens, asked Burnett on Aug. 22 to reconsider his Aug 3 order, contending the total sum set is not in accordance with the facts. No action has been taken on that request, according to the court file, and Burnett said through his case coordinator that he does not plan to reconsider his decision.
Driver, a former commercial airline pilot, resigned in April 1997 after questions were raised about disbursements from an account of fees paid by juvenile probationers.
A state audit released in January 1998 indicated Driver wrote $ 27,400 in unauthorized checks and that a $ 212 chain saw was among items the audit could not account for.
The Commercial Appeal (Memphis, TN)
September 27, 2000, WEDNESDAY, FINAL EDITION
SECTION: NEWS, Pg. A7
LENGTH: 396 words
HEADLINE: EX-CRITTENDEN OFFICIAL TO PAY UP
BYLINE: Bartholomew Sullivan The Commercial Appeal
BODY:
The former juvenile officer for Crittenden County, Ark., charged last year with theft after a state audit found he'd written $ 27,400 in unauthorized checks, has been ordered to repay the debt in $ 241 monthly installments.
Jerry B. Driver, 60, pleaded no contest to the theft charge March 27 and Circuit Judge David Burnett ordered him placed on probation, then authorized a transfer of the probation to authorities in Michigan, where Driver now lives. Restitution was ordered at the time, and the issue was initially left open, court files show.
The county has made a claim with the Arkansas Governmental Bonding Board to have the loss reimbursed. That board is scheduled to meet Oct. 10.
Crittenden County Quorum Court member Jim Turner has been adamant that the county get its money back and was harshly critical Tuesday that the county - the victim of the crime - allowed Driver to get away without some time behind bars.
"Tell me when Crittenden County has put someone in jail for stealing our money,'' he told a specially called meeting of the Quorum Court. "No one has been to jail for stealing the county's money.''
Also at Tuesday's meeting, Turner urged county officials to remain vigilant in their efforts to get the money back, either directly from Driver or from the state bonding authority.
Court records indicate that on Aug. 3, Burnett revisited the issue of restitution and ordered $ 27,684.19 repaid in monthly installments beginning Sept. 15. At $ 241 a month, it would take more than nine years to pay off the debt.
Because of the complexity of accounting for monthly fees and fines, it could not be determined whether the first installment was made on time.
Driver's lawyer, Kent J. Rubens, asked Burnett on Aug. 22 to reconsider his Aug 3 order, contending the total sum set is not in accordance with the facts. No action has been taken on that request, according to the court file, and Burnett said through his case coordinator that he does not plan to reconsider his decision.
Driver, a former commercial airline pilot, resigned in April 1997 after questions were raised about disbursements from an account of fees paid by juvenile probationers.
A state audit released in January 1998 indicated Driver wrote $ 27,400 in unauthorized checks and that a $ 212 chain saw was among items the audit could not account for.
