A second person has entered a guilty plea in a case that led to a six-year prison sentence for former Izard County Judge David Sherrell in November.
At the conclusion of a lengthy investigation, in addition to Sherrell, two others were charged. The two were Sherrell’s son-in-law, Matt Orf, and former salesman Paul Shuttleworth.
Areawide Media reports Orf plead guilty November 21st in Independence County before Judge Tim Weaver. He was sentenced to three years’ suspended imposition of sentence and is required to pay Izard County restitution in the amount of $9,250.
In the probable cause affidavit, an Arkansas State Police investigator reports Sherrell went to a local truck and equipment retailer to purchase two dump trucks for the county, and he allegedly purchased a used 20-ton trailer without authorization. The investigator says Sherrell asked the salesperson to increase the price of the dump trucks to include the price of the trailer allowing him to purchase it for free.
In June 2015, Sherrell reportedly signed two invoices for the trucks. He took personal possession of the trailer valued at $7,000 two days later. The next month, the Izard County Quorum Court approved financing for the two trucks at a cost of $83,000. According to court documents, Sherrell never told the court the trailer’s price was included in the purchase.
Nearly four months later, Sherrell allegedly arranged for Orf to sell the trailer to Izard County for $9,250.
The Arkansas Democrat Gazette reported in November Sherrell was sentenced to six years in prison after admitting to using county funds to purchase equipment for his personal use. The 58-year-old Sherrell pleaded guilty to criminal use of property, theft of property and two counts of forgery. He must also pay $35,000 in restitution to Izard County.
Shuttleworths court date is scheduled for January 2018.
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