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Windham
County Sheriff Denies
Misuse of Public Funds
BRATTLEBORO — Windham Sheriff Sheila Prue, allegedly responsible for mismanagement of department funds and insufficient training of employees, has turned over financial control but so far has refused to step down from her post, news sources say. State legislators planned to discuss a possible resolution to remove Prue from her elected office at a meeting in late April.
Prue, a Democrat who was elected as sheriff in 2002, has denied any wrongdoing, according to reports. A Bennington native, Prue served in the army and later worked for the Brattleboro police department for 14 years. She and her partner later bought the Upper Crust Bakery in Brattleboro.
Prue ran for office as an open lesbian, but she did not consider her sexual orientation to be a big issue during her campaign, according to an article published in the December 2002 issue of OITM.
However, when accusations made by Vermont State Auditor Randy Brock were made public last month, Prue's attorney, Tina Buehler, told the Brattleboro Reformer that she believed Brock's report was "politically motivated" and "an attack on Prue's gender as well as 'an attack of the sheriff's personal sexual preference.'"
Brock, a Republican, termed the accusations "ridiculous." On April 11th, Brock released a report alleging that Prue used $61,000 of department funds for a variety of personal uses, including home phone and travel expenses. About $9,000 worth of health insurance co-payments was also billed to the sheriff's department, the Rutland Herald reported.
Buehler released past financial reports showing that former county sheriffs also were reimbursed for health care and hometelephone costs. But Brock said Prue's charges went "above and beyond what might be considered reasonable in the law enforcement field," the Herald said.
Brock turned over the report to the Vermont Attorney General and U.S. Justice Department for possible criminal charges, according to the Herald.
In 2004, several deputies complained to Rep. Patricia O'Donnell, R-Vernon, that they were not adequately trained by the sheriff's department, the Herald said. O'Donnell subsequently filed a complaint with the Vermont Criminal Justice Training Council.
One month later, the Vermont Attorney General's Office took over the investigation and found that Sgt. Ron Lake, the department's primary field training officer, had signed off on training sessions after his certification had expired, the newspaper said. Buehler said Sgt. Lake appears to be certified through 2007.
In addition, Brock said a $225,000 federal grant intended to support employment of officers was in question because of Prue's actions. The audit includes allegations that paychecks were delayed due to the department's lack of funds.
In conjunction with the audit, Brock asked Prue to step aside from financial management of the sheriff's department. A few days later, Prue chose Lt. Sherwood Lake, Jr. (brother of Sgt. Ron Lake) to oversee the department's finances, a move criticized by Brock as "inappropriate," the Brattleboro Reformer said.
"I do question giving any financial management authority to a member of the previous financial management team," the Reformer quoted Brock. He said an independent accounting firm should be managing the books.
In response to Brock's audit and allegations, Prue has hired an independent firm to conduct a "forensic" audit of the department's books, according to the Reformer. Brock said Windham County may pick up at least part of the tab for the audit and that may be acceptable as long as it is for the sheriff's department and not for the sheriff personally.
Vermont Attorney General William Sorrell said his office would begin a criminal investigation based on Brock's report.
"Some very serious questions were raised by the auditor's report and we'll take them seriously," Sorrell told the Reformer.
O'Donnell said that legislators from Windham County planned to discuss the possibility of a resolution asking Prue to resign, the Reformer said.
"I'm not sure if we will be asking her to step down or get out of the way so the department can function," the Reformer quoted O'Donnell, who organized the meeting. At least two other legislators said it's premature to make such a resolution and that Prue has not been found guilty of any crimes.
Prue did not return phone calls from OITM.