After two hours of testimony on Wednesday, a restitution hearing for former Montezuma County Undersheriff Robin Cronk was unexpectedly suspended.<\/p>\n
District Court Judge Todd Plewe admonished District Attorney Will Furse in open court for not being prepared to represent the wishes of the Montezuma County Sheriff\u2019s Office.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve wasted two hours of court time,\u201d Plewe told Furse. \u201cNow we\u2019re going to have to start this all over.\u201d<\/p>\n
At question were three gunsmithing charges that totaled $544, which the defendant claimed was traded for compensation after working four overtime work details, Furse said. Sheriff officials denied the notion, adding they wanted Furse to seek complete restitution.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Montezuma County Sheriff\u2019s Office has no confidence in the district attorney\u2019s office to represent our position,\u201d Undersheriff Lynda Carter told Plewe. \u201cWe request a recess to obtain private counsel.\u201d<\/p>\n
Despite any conflicts between the sheriff and the district attorney, Plewe told Furse he had an obligation to represent the victim\u2019s wishes. He added the court\u2019s expectations were not met at the hearing on Wednesday, Aug. 27.<\/p>\n
\u201cToday, this was not handled well, period,\u201d said Plewe.<\/p>\n
Furse rejected the court\u2019s criticism, saying that he was prepared and had met with sheriff\u2019s officials before the proceeding. He added that he wasn\u2019t aware of the defendant\u2019s position in the case, but Plewe quickly interrupted.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t appreciate the grandstanding in my courtroom,\u201d Plewe told Furse. \u201cIn here, I expect more. I demand more.\u201d<\/p>\n
A special prosecutor will be appointed to handle a new restitution hearing, set for 1:30 p.m. on Sept. 5.<\/p>\n
\u201cEverything we\u2019ve heard so far is vacated,\u201d said a frustrated Plewe. \u201cI\u2019m not doing this again.\u201d<\/p>\n
The restitution hearing was being held to determine how much money Cronk, convicted of felony embezzlement, owes to taxpayers. Cronk pleaded guilty in March in connection to a 26-month embezzlement scheme while employed as Montezuma County undersheriff from 2011 to 2013.<\/p>\n
The hearing opened Wednesday with public defender Katherine Whitney arguing that her client had returned all the purchased items, so the sheriff\u2019s office should not be compensated monetarily.<\/p>\n
Plewe rejected the claim, citing he couldn\u2019t force the sheriff\u2019s office to accept and use unwanted items that Cronk purchased for personal gain.<\/p>\n
\u201c(Cronk) shouldn\u2019t have pled guilty if he didn\u2019t want to pay,\u201d said Plewe.<\/p>\n
The total restitution initially sought in the case is about $7,500.<\/p>\n
On the witness stand for more than an hour Wednesday morning for the first time in connection to the case, Montezuma County Sheriff Dennis Spruell testified that Cronk exploited his lack of oversight for unauthorized purchases over $100, which included holsters, ammunition, rifles, handguns, generators and automobile repairs. On cross-examination, Spruell deflected Whitney\u2019s question about a written purchase policy.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere was nothing in writing that, Thou shall not steal,\u201d replied Spruell.<\/p>\n