Former sheriff arrested in assault

Cradduck, 47, booked into Benton County jail; no bail set

BENTONVILLE — Former Benton County Sheriff Kelley Cradduck was arrested Sunday in connection with misdemeanor assault.

Cradduck, 47, of Rogers was booked at 12:31 a.m. into the Benton County jail. Rogers police arrested Cradduck in connection with third-degree assault on a family or household member.

He was being held Sunday in the jail with no bail set.

Rogers police were called at 11:12 p.m. Saturday to a domestic disturbance at 925 S. Lafayette St., according to a probable cause affidavit.

Cradduck told a police officer that he and his wife, Sabrina, had gotten into a verbal argument about his drinking, but there been no physical contact between them, according to the affidavit.

Cradduck said his wife was also angry because he hid several of her Michael Kors purses in their home, according to the affidavit.

Sabrina Cradduck told police there had been instances of domestic violence between the couple and that the main issue of Saturday’s argument was her husband’s drinking. She said that when her husband drinks he becomes aggressive and he doesn’t realize how strong he is, according to the affidavit.

Sabrina Cradduck said she and her husband were arguing in their bedroom and “he pushed her violently to the ground,” the affidavit states.

Sabrina Cradduck told the officer she felt in danger because her husband had pushed her and he was intoxicated, according to court documents.

Kelley Cradduck’s arraignment is scheduled for Sept. 18 in Rogers District Court.

Cradduck resigned in April 2016 during his second term as sheriff after pleading no contest to misdemeanor tampering. He was placed on unsupervised probation for six months and paid $670

in court costs. A felony tampering charge was dismissed. The case has been expunged.

Arkansas State Police investigated Cradduck’s hiring of Gabriel Cox to work in the jail and whether Cradduck ordered payroll records for Cox to be altered to show a hiring date earlier than when he started to work.

Cradduck had said he wanted to help Cox, who was homeless, by hiring him to work in the jail. Cox lived with Cradduck at the time, according to court documents.

Cradduck, who was seeking his third term in office, lost the Republican primary election the month before he resigned.

The Benton County Quorum Court appropriated $80,000 to pay his salary and benefits for the remainder of his term.

In a 4-3 decision last year, the Arkansas Commission on Law Enforcement Standards allowed Cradduck to keep his certification to be a police officer.