Randolph County Commission, sheriff in court battle over bank account
EDITOR'S NOTE: The judge's name has been corrected.
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
The Randolph County Commission has been granted a temporary restraining order to keep the county sheriff from accessing a bank account.
But the sheriff says an upcoming hearing will show he did nothing wrong.
The commission alleges Sheriff Aaron Wilson used the account for unauthorized purposes, including a withdrawal of $7,000 for a vehicle purchase Friday. The lawsuit, filed in Randolph County court, says Wilson also used government discounts for the purchase, which was personal.
The commission sought and was granted the temporary restraining order on Friday pending a Nov. 4 court hearing, online court records show. Wilson was served with the order Monday, according to records.
The county commission did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment. Randolph County Presiding Commissioner Sid Conklin officially sought the order in court filings.
Wilson wrote in an email response to questions that he had been served with the lawsuit and that the allegations were not accurate.
"The documentation of facts showing the inaccuracy will be produced in the show cause hearing," Wilson wrote.
Judge Scott Hayes' order prohibits Wilson from accessing the account for any purpose and requires him to obtain written approval for routine business expenditures.
A source from the sheriff’s office who wished to remain anonymous due to fear of retaliation claims that the$7,000 withdrawn for a "Shop with a Deputy" event that the Sheriff's office holds each year and that the money was placed inside a safe in the sheriff’s office. The source also claimed that Wilson did buy a car for himself, but it was using money he took out from a personal loan and that the car was bought using Purple Wave Auctions, a website that doesn’t allow government discounts.
Wilson was defeated in the August Republican primary for Randolph County sheriff, losing to Andy Boggs, who took 61% of the vote.
Check back for updates to this developing story.
