RINEHART
D. NULL
T. NULL
By William Moore
Daily Journal
CORINTH – Former Alcorn County Sheriff Charles Rinehart and a Corinth couple avoided trial by each pleading guilty to their roles in a scheme to defraud the county.
Rinehart, Denise Null and Teddy Null were scheduled to go to trial next week but instead pleaded guilty in Circuit Court Wednesday to two counts of conspiracy to defraud and two counts of fraud.
All three were sentenced to 20 years in prison. But instead of going to the state penitentiary, they will serve time in the House Arrest Program, followed by supervised probation. Rinehart and Denise Null will spend two years under house arrest while Teddy Null will serve just one year. All three must serve five years probation as well.
According to District Attorney John Weddle, the three defendants were ordered to pay fines, assessments and court costs. They were not ordered to pay any restitution.
The charges came out of a massive investigation by State Auditor Stacey Pickering in late 2015 into corruption in Alcorn County. The initial investigation revealed former supervisor Jimmy “Dal” Nelms, 43, of Glen, and former county purchasing clerk William Paul Rhodes, 55, of Corinth, conspired with at least three vendors to defraud the county and share in the profits.
The same investigation also uncovered Rinehart and the Nulls used fraudulent quotes on six vehicles purchased by the sheriff’s office over a three-year period. The fake quotes made it appear the Nulls’ business, Cars For Less, had the lowest and best bid. Investigators initially believed the cars were salvaged vehicles rebuilt with stolen parts.
“Although the investigation did not produce additional charges involving stolen parts or proof that the county paid more than they should have, the bid laws are there for a reason,” Weddle said. “Violation of those laws should and did result in the defendants accepting responsibility for their actions.”
Pickering applauded the results, noting that no one is above the law.
“The behavior of the sheriff and this vendor is deplorable and will not be tolerated,” Pickering said after the three were arrested and charged in September 2015.
Wednesday’s plea does not resolve a separate civil demand facing the former sheriff.
In June 2015, Pickering issued a civil demand against Rinehart for $181,161.93, for funds misappropriated by his department relating to The Alcorn County Regional Correctional Facility Technology Fund, The Alcorn County Sheriff’s Commissary Account and The Alcorn County Regional Correctional Facility.
Rinehart was first elected sheriff in 2008. He did not seek re-election in 2015.
william.moore@journalinc.com
