BENTON COUNTY (KFSM) — A special prosecutor was appointed and sworn in Monday morning (Nov. 2) in the investigation into Benton County Sheriff Kelley Cradduck.
Benton County Judge Brad Karren appointed special prosecutor Jason Barrett. Barrett is a state special prosecuting attorney who handles conflicts full-time across the state and is employed by the prosecutor coordinator in Little Rock, according to Benton County Prosecutor Nathan Smith.
Smith announced Friday he has requested a judge to appoint a special prosecutor following an investigation into Cradduck by Arkansas State Police. Smith wouldn’t release details of the investigation, but he made his request the same week two Benton County Sheriff’s Office employees filed grievances against the sheriff.
Both grievances claim the employees were demoted after they reported Cradduck to ASP and cooperated with the investigation into orders the sheriff had given that they felt were “illegal and unethical.”
Cradduck’s campaign for re-election told 5NEWS the allegations against the sheriff involve personnel matters and the sheriff wants to ensure that he is protecting the rights and privacy of his employees. The campaign told us Cradduck will let the facts speak for themselves when the investigation is over.
