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About The Blue Mountain eagle. (John Day, Or.) 1972-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 14, 2016)
News Blue Mountain Eagle Deschutes sheriff captain sentenced ive years for stealing $200,000 in public funds Blue Mountain Eagle On Thursday, Sept. 8, Scott Raymond Beard, 46, a former Deschutes County Sheriff’s Ofice captain and resident of Deschutes County, was sentenced to ive years in prison by U.S. District Judge Michael J. McShane for steal- ing over $200,000 in public funds he was entrusted to manage, according to a press release from the United States Attorney’s Ofice. At least 63 times over a two-year period, Beard fal- siied records to steal money designated for use in combat- ing drug crimes, the release states. At the sentencing hear- ing, Deschutes County Sher- iff Shane Nelson attested to the damage Beard’s abuse of trust caused to the communi- ty, and to the men and women working in law enforcement. Sheriff Nelson explained that Beard “betrayed the ideals of the law enforcement profes- sion. He was in a position of absolute trust, and he abused this trust for his own gain.” Judge McShane acknowl- edged the importance of citi- zens being able to have com- plete trust in those called to serve their communities as police oficers. When impos- ing the sentence, he admon- ished Beard that the com- munity has to know that this conduct will not be tolerated. Judge McShane pointed to Beard’s pervasive violation of the public trust placed in him by Sheriff Nelson, fel- low law enforcement oficers, state prosecutors and his own community. Judge McShane further ordered Beard to serve three years of supervised re- lease after he completes his prison term. During the investigation, Beard told federal agents that he donated $10,000 of the stolen money to a South Af- rican orphanage. Orphanage records show that his actual donation was less than $92. In reality, Beard laundered the money through the bank account of his mistress, Krista Jean Mudrick, showering her with cash to support a lifestyle that included vacations and multiple cosmetic surgeries for Mudrick. The sentencing followed Beard’s May 2016 guilty plea to two counts of theft con- cerning programs receiving federal funds and two counts of money laundering. An au- dit ordered by newly appoint- ed Sheriff Nelson uncovered Beard’s crimes. After a fed- eral grand jury returned an indictment against Beard and Mudrick, the Sheriff’s ofice ired him. Mudrick has also been federally charged with making materially false state- ments to federal agents inves- tigating Beard’s crimes. U.S. Attorney Billy J. Williams said, “Law enforce- ment oficers who steal public funds harm the entire commu- nity. We rely on the honesty and integrity of every law enforcement oficer to do the right thing. Beard’s greed un- dermined the good work done by his fellow oficers and this sentence sends a clear signal that crimes committed by law enforcement oficers will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.” Special Agent in Charge Darrell Waldon of IRS Crimi- nal Investigation said, “Crim- inals are sentenced to prison every day for actions driv- en by greed, but the level of greed that Beard sunk to is re- ally beyond belief. This is an individual who, as a member of the law enforcement com- munity, took an oath to up- hold the law.” The FBI and IRS-CI joint- ly investigated this case, and it was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Cardani and Frank R Papagni Jr. Police arrest Prairie City man on assault, drug charges Blue Mountain Eagle Police arrested a 26-year-old Prairie City man on assault and drug possession charges early Friday morning. John Day Police Sgt. Damon Rand ar- rested Kristopher Goodwin on charges of fourth-degree domestic assault and posses- sion of methamphetamine, according to a press release from John Day Police Chief Richard Gray. LETTERS Continued from Page A4 ‘Time for a reality check?’ To the Editor: Consider the timelines: The sheriff investigates the Monument Rural Fire Dis- trict fiasco and determines it is a civil, not a criminal, case. Then the grand jury indicts a participant of the fire district. The sheriff then deputizes this person un- der indictment by the grand jury. Finally, a circuit court jury finds the defendant guilty of three counts of fel- ony theft. Time for a reality check? Fred B. Fitzgerald Monument Firewise techniques reduce wildire risk To the Editor: The Oregonian article “Burned” on the Canyon Creek Complex missed two aspects. Should houses be built in fire prone land- scapes? And did homeown- ers use Firewise techniques to lower the risk of fires burning their houses? While I sympathize with Police responded to a call at about 12:30 a.m. Friday of a female being assaulted by her boyfriend on the 100 block of South McHaley Street in Prairie City, Gray said. The 45-year-old victim reported she had been hit by Goodwin and that he had thrown things at her, Gray said. Goodwin also called 911, he said, but hung up after giving the lo- cation of the assault. After Rand’s investigation, Goodwin was arrested and booked in the Grant County Jail. people for the tragedy of losing their homes, earli- er actions could have re- duced this tragedy. Living in a forested setting poses wildfire risks. Forests will always burn. In my work as a planning consultant, I ask clients who live in forested settings, “What will you do when the fire comes? That’s when, not if.” One import- ant tool planners should use is not allowing houses in high-risk forest areas. We use zoning to prohib- it houses in flood plains. What stops us from zoning high fire risk areas as un- buildable? Katherine Dan- iels with Oregon DLCD has written, “effective land use planning has perhaps the greatest potential for reduc- ing wildfire threat” (Hood River News, Nov. 7, 2015). Protecting homes during fires is expensive. Oregon Department of Forestry es- timates the average cost of protecting a home in a ru- ral area is $31,545 versus $319 in an already devel- oped area. And the danger to firefighters is real. The 2013 Arizona Yarnell Hill Fire killed 19 firefighters working to protect homes in a high fire risk area. Given that houses were developed in the forest along Highway 395, did homeowners take actions to reduce their fire risk, Every other Monday in John Day at Blue Mountain Hospital 170 Ford Rd. • 541-575-1311 such as clearing trees and brush around their struc- tures? There are many photos showing burning homes with trees close to the house. Homeowners should have removed trees and brush within 30-100 feet of their homes. These techniques are described in the Firewise program. ODF staff can advise homeown- ers and reimburse them for costs of vegetation treat- ment. Scientists tell us forest fires will be more frequent John Day Police Chief Richard Gray and get larger. The Forest Service is overwhelmed with high costs and insuf- ficient firefighting funds. To help deal with this issue planning departments must develop regulations that prohibit building houses in high fire risk areas. Retroactively, homeown- ers in high fire risk areas should be required to re- move trees and brush close to their homes. Jurgen A. Hess Hood River A meet and greet with T ODD M C K INLEY , candidate for Grant County Sheriff, will be held at the Canyon City Community Hall from 2:00-4:00 on Saturday, September 17th, 2016. Mr. McKinley will give a presentation, followed by a question and answer period. In his campaign, Todd speaks forthrightly on the issues, gives straight answers to questions, and puts forth real solutions to issues. He wants to meet with you to hear what is important to you. For more information, check his Facebook page, Todd McKinley for Sheriff, or call 541-932-4859. Wednesday, September 14, 2016 A5 C OPS & C OURTS Arrests and citations in the Blue Mountain Eagle are taken from the logs of law enforcement agencies. Every effort is made to re- port the court disposition of arrest cases. Grant County Sheriff CANYON CITY — The Grant County Sheriff’s Of- fice reported the following for the week of Sept. 1-7: • Concealed handgun licenses: 3 • Average inmates: 12 • Bookings: 5 • Releases: 4 • Fingerprints: 5 • Civil papers: 8 • Warrants processed: 5 • Asst./welfare check: 3 Justice Court CANYON CITY — The Grant County Justice Court reported the follow- ing fines and judgments: • Driving with a sus- pended license: Lucas Michael Mericantante, 53, Eugene, July 29, fined $435; Robert H. Bryant, 41, Prairie City, Aug. 9, fined $435. • Driving uninsured: Lucas Michael Merican- tante, 53, Eugene, July 29, fined $260; Dakota Andrew Clark, 21, Port- land, May 18, fined $260; Jeffery Paul Thomas, 44, Hillsboro, July 2, fined $260; Brian Brandon Burk, 43, Sweet Home, Sept. 3, fined $260; Robert H. Bryant, 41, Prairie City, Aug. 9, fined $260; Dako- ta Andrew Clark, 21, Port- land, May 18, fined $260; Brian Brandon Burk, 43, Sweet Home, Sept. 3, fined $260. • Failure to obey traffic control device: Heidi Lou- ise Gosson, 35, Hillsboro, Aug. 19, fined $220. • Violation of the speed limit: Christina Mary Grouten, 24, Bend, 60/25 zone, June 28, fined $370. • Exceeding the speed limit: Gary Paul Olsen, 75, Bend, 77/65 zone, Aug. 9, fined $220. • Dog as a public nui- sance: Zechariah D. Wil- son, 24, John Day, July 12, fined $260 to be dismissed through diversion without further convictions prior to Feb. 9. Paid $48 restitu- tion to victim. • Violation of the ba- sic speed rule: Betha- ny Dobbins Corwin, 39, Redmond, Aug. 28, 70/55 zone, fined $160; Lucas Michael Mericantante, 53, Eugene, July 29, fined $260. • Open container of al- cohol: Jeffery Paul Thom- as, 44, Hillsboro, July 2, fined $260. Dispatch John Day dispatch worked 137 calls during the week of Sept. 5-11. Along with the various traffic warnings, trespass- ing, injured animals, noise complaints and juvenile complaints, these calls in- cluded: • John Day Police: Sept. 5: Responded to an animal complaint and cited a 26-year-old John Day woman for keeping a dog as a nuisance. Sept. 7: Off-duty police officer reported a possi- ble drunk driver resulting in a Utah man being cited for reckless driving and speeding. Sept. 9: Responded to a report of domestic vi- olence in Prairie City. Received information re- garding a wanted felon and arrested a 27-year-old Prairie City man. • Grant County Sher- iff: Sept. 9: Responded to a report of domestic vio- lence in Mt. Vernon. Sept. 11: Arrested a 30-year-old Bend man on a Grant County warrant. Responded to a report of an accident with injuries near Granite. • John Day ambu- lance: Sept. 9: Responded to a report of a 38-year-old male suffering a possible heart attack. I would like to thank everyone who helped during my car accident on August 31st. A special thank you to Rusty Rule, Scott Shaffer, Glenn Palmer, Melinda Moss, Blue Mountain Hospital & EMTs, and Officer Daniel Stover, OSP. Sincerely, Drew Harmer
