Two former deputies of the Clinton County Sheriff's Department will appear in the Clinton County Courthouse this month after both men allegedly took prescription medication from offenders this fall.
Aaron Abbott and Kevin Bunch have both been accused of obtaining medication while being assigned as jailers at the Clinton County Jail, according to probable cause statements filed in November. Clinton County Sheriff Porter Hensen said an offender came forward and advised the department that medications were missing in mid-September.
Mr. Hensen said the department conducted a swift, thorough criminal investigation following the complaint. Both men were charged with one count of fraudulently attempting to obtain a control substance, a class D felony, in November.
According to a probable cause statement, Mr. Abbott allegedly took two tablets of hydrocodone from offenders' medication packets sometime late in August or early September. Mr. Bunch allegedly obtained Vicodin, Valium and Xanax during the course of his shifts in September.
"I don't want this to damage trust, because when you are at that level (in law enforcement), people have trust in you," Mr. Hensen said. "I hate it that this could have put a black mark on not only our department, but also on the people's trust in us. It's just a sad day."
During the criminal investigation, both men admitted to taking the medications, according to the probable cause statements.
Both men joined the Clinton County Sheriff's Department in August 2011. Mr. Abbott was relieved of his duties on September 22 and Mr. Bunch was released on October 19.
Mr. Abbott will face Associate Circuit Judge Daren L. Adkins for a court-scheduled hearing today. Mr. Bunch will face Associate Judge Paul Luckenbill for a hearing on Tuesday.
Copyright 2012 - St. Joseph News-Press, Mo.
McClatchy-Tribune News Service
