Deputy Indicted After Using Asset Forfeiture In His Personal Life To Steal From Asset Forfeiture Fund

Frank Michael Pearson, 44, of Winchester, was indicted on four counts of theft concerning programs receiving federal benefits. He faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison if convicted. He is scheduled to appear in court July 24 for an arraignment before U.S. District Judge T. S. Ellis III.

According to the indictment, beginning in 2006 Pearson was designated as the deputy responsible for overseeing the asset forfeiture program for the sheriff’s office. Between 2010 and 2013, Pearson allegedly stole more than $200,000 from the fund and concealed his embezzlement scheme by making false statements to his coworkers and others about the timing and fact of whether he had deposited seized money into a sheriff’s office escrow account maintained at a local bank, according to the indictment.

Sheriff Mike Chapman said in 2008, before he was elected sheriff, the process for the department to seize assets was revamped and, as part of the changes, third-party oversight was removed.

“Without that third-party oversight, that actually enabled Pearson to be able to do this,” said Chapman, who started his first term as sheriff in 2012.