A former Chief Deputy with the Stone County Sheriff’s Office appeared in federal court last week for arraignment on charges of bank fraud, selling a stolen firearm, and extortion. Zachary Hunter Alexander, age 36, of Fifty Six, Arkansas, was indicted by a federal grand jury on May 3rd and made his initial appearance last week before United States Magistrate Judge Edie R. Erwin.
The federal indictment alleges that Alexander solicited money in 2018 from the Stone County Sheriff’s Foundation to purchase several AR-15 style firearms for the Sheriff’s Office.
According to the federal indictment, the Foundation provided over $4,000, which Alexander deposited into his personal account. Allegedly, Alexander then provided and signed an invoice listing six firearms and their serial numbers, which turned out to be fraudulent, and this invoice was used to authorize a $3,090 expenditure on the Sheriff’s Office credit card.
The indictment also claims Alexander sold a sniper rifle to another individual, which is the basis of the charge of selling a stolen firearm, since the firearm belonged to the Stone County Sheriff’s Office and was purchased with Foundation money. Alexander also faces five charges of extortion under color of official right, and the indictments alleges he misused his authority as Chief Deputy Sheriff to obtain money that he used for himself. The indictment alleges that Alexander made various deposits totaling more than $105,000.