Moments before a scheduled 2 p.m. hearing on Feb. 4, alternate public defender Katharine Whitney informed prosecutors that her client opted to decline the plea deal. Details of the plea agreement were not made public.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe believed we had a plea agreement up until about 24 hours ago, but we don\u2019t,\u201d Whitney told District Court Judge Todd Plewe. \u201cWe don\u2019t have a disposition today.\u201d<\/p>\n
Before the announcement, Plewe was scheduled to hear oral arguments on three defense motions, including a change of venue, a gag order and a motion to disqualify District Attorney Will Furse from prosecuting the case.<\/p>\n
Because of the plea agreement that dates back to Jan. 10, Furse requested the continuance, indicating that he didn\u2019t prepare for defense motions.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe thought we had a plea deal up until a few minutes ago,\u201d Furse explained.<\/p>\n
Plewe rescheduled the motions hearing for 2 p.m. on Feb. 20, but he refused to alter the April 21 jury trial.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis case has been delayed long enough,\u201d said Plewe.<\/p>\n
Cronk, now a resident of Phoenix, Ariz., was indicted by a Montezuma County grand jury on 17 felony counts of embezzlement in August. The alleged public corruption charges stem from Cronk\u2019s abuse of Montezuma County Sheriff\u2019s Office financial accounts.<\/p>\n
Over a 26-month span starting in February 2011, records show Cronk bilked taxpayers out of nearly $7,500 for personal gunsmithing services, vehicle maintenance, holsters, generators, gun components, ammunition and firearms.<\/p>\n
Tapped as undersheriff in January 2011, Cronk was forced to resign the post in June 2013 because of the corruption allegations. He is currently free on a $1,500 bond.<\/p>\n
Cronk was declared indigent and eligible to receive court appointed counsel despite earning more than $6,000 a month as undersheriff.<\/p>\n