Sheriff Accused of Embezzling Donations Meant for Schools

In another case of alleged embezzlement by a public official, an Oklahoma sheriff is accused of stealing some $6,000 worth of school supplies to be used to bolster his campaign, Tulsa World reports. Nowata County Sheriff Kenny David Freeman was arrested Wednesday on one charge of embezzlement. The 43-year-old Freeman was appointed sheriff early this year after the previous sheriff resigned. Authorities say a local Walmart left $25,000 worth of school supplies, including coloring books, lunch boxes, crayons, and markers, that it was donating to schools at the sheriff's office, WRAL reports. Freeman allegedly skimmed off the top and handed out the supplies at local events, with local DA telling Tulsa World, "It appears he was using it for his campaign." In a September Facebook post, Freeman's campaign calls for the "opposing campaign to give it a break" with the campaign fraud accusations, writing, "Their issue is that I gave free lunch pails that had been donated to give to kids." (Police say this woman embezzled from the Girl Scouts.)