Arkansas clerk charged with stealing public funds

JONESBORO — A county clerk in northeastern Arkansas has been charged with stealing more than $1.5 million from the county.

Craighead County Clerk Kade Holliday was arrested and charged Monday with 13 counts of theft of property and one count of abuse of office.

County Judge Marvin Day also filed a lawsuit Monday against Holliday, saying he had taken more than $1.5 million from the county treasury since late January and transferred it to his personal accounts. The lawsuit asks that Holliday be ordered to repay at least $1.4 million owed to the state retirement system and the Internal Revenue Service.

As county clerk, Holliday is described in Day’s lawsuit as the county bookkeeper and in charge of payroll and making sure taxes and retirement system payments are made.

Holliday’s attorneys told KAIT-TV that Holliday has resigned and will cooperate with investigators.

Prosecuting Attorney Scott Ellington said legislative auditors uncovered the missing funds.