Arkansas sheriff arrested by FBI, investigation underway

and the Arkansas

sheriff

had his first court hearing this afternoon after the FBI said he interfered with an active drug

investigation

. Thank you for joining us at five. I'm Faith Woodard and I'm Ry Hoy. Hotring County Sheriff Scott Finkbiner appeared in court via Zoom from the Seline County Detention Center t1s Ian Russell has been tracking this for us all day and joins us live with the latest from Ian, yes, really. Faith, obstruction of justice, that's what the federal prosecutor alleges he did finkbiner, alleging that he interfered with an FBI drug

investigation

during today's hearing. He also alleged that he did some other things, including forcing a confidential informant to use methamphetamine and then also forcing that person to perform sexual acts on him, all as part of an allegedly serious drug problem.

F Davit shows that he thinks Biner tried to mislead federal investigators. and warned a drug dealer that he led to that obstruction of justice charge as an elected official in Hotring County. We also wanted to see what the next steps, if any, are for the

sheriff

. I contacted the county judge's office this morning, but have not received a response. However, I also called all 11 members of the Corum County Court. I left a voicemail for many but never received a response. Others told me they wanted to wait to hear the charges. I called them again after the hearing and they again pointed out to me what he said earlier that day innocent until proven guilty.

Now I saw a member of the Corm tribunal on the Zoom hearing and asked his opinion on this. He told me that what he heard was disturbing. Now the reason we called the members of the Corm court is to see if they would accept a letter of resignation from the sheriff if he decided to do so, the corm court could appoint an interim sheriff if that happened. Now the judge acknowledged that releasing an elected sheriff pending trial is complicated, but tonight I believe Biner is free on a $5,000 bond with certain stipulations that includes things like not leaving the Western District of the state, not possessing a gun of fire and not interacting with any Witnesses again is complicated because unless he resigns, he will continue to lead the Hot Spring County Sheriff's Department.