Arkansas sheriff stripped of duties after alleged drug cover-up, using meth with informant, feds say

An Arkansas sheriff who authorities say lied to cover up a drug dealer providing him with methamphetamine earlier this year has been stripped of his duties, federal court documents show.

Embattled Hot Spring County Sheriff Derek Scott Finkbeiner, elected to the position last year, was indicted by a federal grand jury Nov. 15 on charges including obstruction of justice and concealing a crime, court records show.

The county's seat is Malvern, located about 45 miles southwest of Little Rock, the state capital.

The indictment came on the heels of Finkbeiner's Nov. 2 arrest by the FBI, according to a press release from U.S. Attorney David Clay Fowlkes of the Western District of Arkansas.

'I’ll make it worth your while': A confidential informant and a FBI sting

According to a 16-page affidavit filed Oct. 30 and obtained by USA TODAY, between mid-April and late-May, a local narcotics enforcement unit used a confidential informant to uncover how Finkbeiner used meth and attempted to pay the informant to perform sexual acts, as well as mislead federal investigators.

During a recorded May 21 incident, the affidavit reads, the sheriff arrived at a dealer's home in his "white police vehicle, removed his badge and firearm and left them in the car before walking into the home with the confidential informant."

"Immediately upon entering, (the reported dealer) handed Finkbeiner a pipe with meth in it. Finkbeiner sat in the main room of the residence and began to smoke from the pipe," according the affidavit.

Shortly after, the affidavit continues, the sheriff allegedly took out $60, said, “I’ll make it worth your while," and propositioned the confidential informant for sex.

The informant, court papers continue, declined and said they "were not a prostitute."

But the sheriff "started to unbutton his pants, grabbed (the informant's) hand and put it on his penis," court papers show.Shortly after, the informant left the residence "after the audible sex act occurred on the recording."

When the sheriff later learned the FBI installed a surveillance system at the home of the reported dealer, authorities said, he confronted federal agents and alleged that the dealer was a confidential informant of the Hot Spring County Sheriff's office. On one occasion in early August, revealed the surveillance to the dealer who reportedly provided the sheriff with meth.

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A not guilty plea

Online court records show Finkbeiner pleaded not guilty to the charges and released after posting a $5,000 bond.

He was arraigned on the charges on Dec. 5 and is slated to appear back in court on Jan. 22 for jury trial.

According to an order by U.S. Magistrate Judge Barry Bryant, the sheriff has been stripped of law enforcement duties and his only remaining authority in the position on Monday was to conduct payroll.

“I do want to emphatically say I DID NOT OBSTRUCT JUSTICE in any way!” Finkbeiner wrote in a Facebook post on the sheriff's office account on Nov. 6. “In fact it is the contrary. Thank you for the huge outpouring of support!! It’s my hope that you can all come to the trial and see the truth!”

USA TODAY has reached out to the sheriff's office for additional comment.

Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at nalund@usatoday.com and follow her on X @nataliealund.