FORT SMITH : Ex-officer guilty of stealing $51,000
Posted on Thursday, August 21, 2008
FORT SMITH — A former Van Buren police narcotics detective pleaded guilty in U. S. District Court on Wednesday to embezzling more than $ 51, 000 from the department over the 1 past 3 / 2 years. Miklos Molnar, 48, a 20-year veteran of the department, entered his plea to a charge he embezzled money while working as an officer or employee of the U. S. government. The thefts occurred from January 2005 to July 2. Molnar had been a member of the federal Drug Enforcement Administration drug task force since 2000 besides being a Van Buren police officer, according to a news release from the U. S. attorney’s office.
Assistant U. S. attorney Steve Snyder told U. S. District Judge Robert Dawson during Wednesday’s hearing that Molnar has paid back most of the money he was accused of stealing.
Molnar was suspended from his police job July 2 after meeting with Van Buren Police Chief Kenneth Bell about money confiscated from drug case suspects that came up missing from the evidence locker, Bell said. Molnar was in charge of the locker.
Molnar resigned from the force July 21.
Suspicions about Molnar arose when Prosecuting Attorney Marc McCune complained to Bell that Molnar was consistently slow in bringing drug money evidence to the prosecutor’s office for trial.
When a new drug case was filed in which money had been confiscated, Bell ordered Molnar to show him the money from that case, and Molnar could not comply, Bell said. At that point, Bell said, he suspended Molnar and called in the FBI to conduct the investigation.
The department’s evidence policy was changed to eliminate future occurrences, he said.
“I want to apologize to the mayor, City Council members, employees of the Police Department and the citizens of Van Buren for the negative implication this incident has had on the city of Van Buren,” Bell said in a prepared statement.
Molnar was freed on a $ 10, 000 signature bond after Wednesday’s hearing. He will be sentenced after completion of a presentence evaluation, which can take up to 12 weeks.
Molnar faces up to 10 years in prison and up to $ 250, 00 in fines.
FEEDBACK:
Something to say about this topic? Submit a Letter to the Editor online
