WDBJ7 Roanoke News and Weather NRV Lynchburg Danville | Results due soon in criminal investigation of the Franklin County Sheriff's Office
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Results are due any day now in the criminal investigation of the Franklin County Sheriff's Office.
Ewell Hunt remains in the dark, though the sheriff's heard what a lot of people are saying: that the Grand Jury will issue its report Monday.Time's up! Results are due any day now in the criminal investigation of the Franklin County Sheriff's Office.
Judge William Alexander created a special grand jury six months ago. He hand-picked seven citizens, gave them six months to file a report and, "if necessary" return indictments. The six months are up Sunday.
Ewell Hunt remains in the dark, though the sheriff's heard what a lot of people are saying: that the grand jury will issue its report Monday.
The jurors had two topics to investigate, pay records and evidence management. Until recently, Franklin County deputies had no place to secure evidence. Drugs, stolen property, contraband of all kinds, there was no place to put it. Sheriff's deputies simply took it home with them in many cases.
"The thing about it, there was never a policy. There was no kind of policy, whatsoever in place, as to how things would be stored, or you know, there was nothing written saying, 'all right, you do it this way. You do it this way.' There was nothing like that," said Lt. Allan Arrington, former sheriff's deputy.
So, just for lack of a better place, you wound up taking it home?," asked News7's Keith Humphry. "Yes," said Arrington.
The problems with evidence storage first came to light last year, when a small amount of marijuana and cocaine turned up at Franklin County High School. The assumption was the drugs had come from Lieutenant Arrington's evidence box.
He says he knows that can't be true. Nonetheless, Arrington became a target of investigation as a possible source.
Sheriff Hunt's daughter became a target, too. Ashley Hunt worked for the department for more than four years. The grand jury asked for time sheets documenting the hours she worked. Chief Deputy Josh Carter lost his job over that, along with Lieutenant Allan Arrington.
It's unclear whether any charges will come out of this. We may find out Monday, unless Judge Alexander decides to give the special grand jurors more time.
