Zachary Hunter Alexander, the former Chief Deputy for the Stone County Sheriff’s Office, has been sentenced to 33 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to selling a stolen firearm and extortion under color of official right. The sentence was announced by Jonathan D. Ross, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, and was handed down by United States District Judge Lee P. Rudofsky.
Alexander, 40, of Lakeview, was indicted by a federal grand jury on May 3, 2022. The indictment included charges of bank fraud, selling a stolen firearm, and multiple counts of extortion under color of official right. On August 14, 2023, Alexander entered a guilty plea to the charges related to selling a stolen firearm and extortion.
According to investigators, Alexander purchased two Remington 700 sniper rifles on May 31, 2019. A few days later, he received payment from the Stone County Sheriff’s Foundation intended for those rifles’ purchase on behalf of the Sheriff’s Office. In December that year, he sold one of those rifles for his own benefit.
On or about February 19, 2020, Alexander used his position as Chief Deputy to obtain $3,809.10 from the Stone County Treasurer under false pretenses. He claimed the funds were needed to reimburse a pawn shop for law enforcement equipment but instead kept the cash after involving the pawn shop owner in cashing the check. Investigators found that no equipment was actually purchased in this or similar transactions.
In addition to his prison term, Alexander will serve two years of supervised release and must pay restitution totaling $153,786.84. This amount covers improperly cashed pawn shop checks dispensed to Alexander as well as fraudulent credit card purchases made with Sheriff’s Office funds and check kiting activities at various banks. There is no parole in the federal system.
The investigation involved cooperation among several agencies: Arkansas State Police led the inquiry with support from the Stone County Sheriff’s Office and its Foundation; Stone County Treasurer’s Office; 16th Judicial District Prosecuting Attorney’s Office; and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
