RINEHART
T. NULL
D. NULL
Daily Journal
CORINTH – Alcorn County Sheriff Charles Rinehart was arrested Monday morning on charges of fraud and conspiracy.
Rinehart and Cars for Less owners Teddy Null and Pamela Denise Null, each face a 10-county indictment handed down Monday morning by the Alcorn County Grand Jury. Following their arrests, all three were released on $25,000 bonds.
State Auditor Stacey Pickering said an investigation by his office uncovered the sheriff’s department had purchased six cars from Cars for Less in the past three years. Fraudulent quotes representing other vendors were created by the Nulls to ensure Cars for Less was the lowest quote. Rinehart then submitted the quotes to the Alcorn County Board of Supervisors as competitive quotes for vehicle purchases as well as for trade-in and sale transactions.
The vehicles purchased from Cars for Less were salvaged vehicles that were rebuilt with potentially stolen parts. The Nulls did not disclose the condition of several vehicles purchased during the bid or sale process. The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation is currently analyzing the six vehicles to determine if stolen parts were used on the vehicles sold to the sheriff’s office.
“Based on our investigation, Sheriff Rinehart used his position to manipulate the system,” said Pickering at a Monday afternoon press conference in Corinth. “Teddy Null and Pamela Denise Null conspired with the sheriff to ensure their company received the sheriff’s business, while not disclosing the condition of all the salvage vehicles to the county.
“In addition, our investigation has uncovered questions relating to the business operations at Cars for Less in Alcorn County. The behavior of the sheriff and this vendor is deplorable and will not be tolerated.”
In addition to today’s arrest, Rinehart was issued an unrelated civil demand on June 18, in the amount of $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 is not seeking re-election this year.