BENTON COUNTY (KFSM) — A man identifying himself as the Benton County Sheriff’s Office deputy involved in the investigation into Benton County Sheriff Kelley Cradduck has been arrested, according to the Rogers Police Department.
Rogers police officers cited Gabriel Cox on Friday night (Jan. 1) for misdemeanor possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia during a traffic stop, according to officials with the Rogers Police Department.
Cox’s name has been brought up in two grievance filings and an Arkansas State Police (ASP) investigation, court documents and documents from Benton County show.
In grievance hearings filed by Benton County deputies Robin Holt and Jeremy Guyll, Cox is mentioned as having been hired by Sheriff Cradduck, as well as living with him, according to the documents.
Both Holt and Guyll claimed the sheriff demoted them after they reported what they called “illegal actions” committed by Sheriff Cradduck to ASP, the documents state. According to the deputies, the sheriff was retaliating against them after they refused to backdate Cox’s hiring date by two weeks, the documents indicate.
In November 2015, Holt and Guyll’s grievance hearings were held in conjunction and the committee ruled in their favor, stating both deputies qualified as whistle-blowers and should not have been demoted. Sheriff Cradduck reinstated them to their pre-demotion positions immediately.
The Arkansas State Police investigation into any misconduct is ongoing after investigators seized several drawers of files from the sheriff’s office, according to court documents. A special prosecutor was also appointed to oversee the case.
Sheriff Cradduck’s campaign has said the sheriff will not be dropping out of the Benton County Sheriff’s Office race.
On Friday night, Cox was cited, but not booked, according to the Rogers Police Department. Investigators wouldn’t confirm whether there was anyone else in the vehicle with Cox citing the ongoing investigation.
