Published: December 05, 2008 08:53 pm      

Former Marion Co. sheriff indicted

By TESA CULLI

tesa.culli@register-news.com

SALEM — The former Marion County Sheriff has been indicted for allegedly stealing county money and official misconduct.

Bradford E. Wolenhaupt, 55, of Centralia, was served with a three count indictment Friday. Wolenhaupt served as the sheriff of Marion County from 2002 until he resigned in August 2008.

The first count of theft charged against Wolenhaupt alleges that between Jan. 2, 2006 and July 31, 2008, on two or more occasions, he exerted unauthorized control over money belonging to Marion County.

“On two or more occasions between said dates, he wrote checks drawn on the Marion County Sheriff’s Office account at Midland States Bank and on the Marion County Sheriff’s Department Drug Abuse Program account at Marion County Savings Bank to pay personal expenses, that he intended to permanently deprive the owner of the use and property,” the first count states.

Count two, also theft, alleges that between Feb. 1, 2006 and Feb. 14, 2008, Wolenhaupt “exerted unauthorized control over cash seized during the arrest of Matthew Helm,” according to court documents.

Both the theft charges are for between $300 and $10,000.

The third count of the indictment alleges that between Jan. 2, 2006 and July 31, 2008, Wolenhaupt committed the offense of official misconduct in that while acting in his official capacity, he wrote checks on the sheriff’s office accounts to pay personal expenses.

Bond for Wolenhaupt was set at $10,000, and he posted bail and was released. He is scheduled for a first appearance on the charges at 11 a.m. on Dec. 9 in Marion County Court.