By Dewey Terrill
JC Post
GEARY COUNTY —A Kansas sheriff accused of felony theft and misdemeanor misuse of public funds has entered a no contest plea.
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Geary County Sheriff Tony Wolf
On Friday Geary County Sheriff Tony Wolf entered the plea deal and that saw the court dismiss two other felony counts with prejudice. They cannot be refiled.
The recommended sentence for Wolf is 12 months probation on the misdemeanor and in the other allegation a presumptive probation matter with the probation in both cases to run concurrently at the same time, with no jail time. Wolf must also make restitution totaling $2,200 in the theft case.
Formal sentencing has been scheduled on June 28th.
Wolf will be also be required to forfeit his position as Geary County Sheriff effective immediately. A letter of resignation must be submitted to the governor.
According to the factual basis outlined in court on Friday, Wolf authorized an expense of $530 against a County credit card to purchase tires for a friend’s vehicle. He claimed it was a payment to a confidential informant for drug information which was false.
There was a reference to a text which Wolf told the friend, “This is what friends do for each other.” Wolf later admitted to a KBI agent the tires were purchased for a friend. Those funds were credited by the vendor back to the credit card and Wolf later paid the vendor.
In the second case Wolf used state asset forfeiture funds to purchase items ranging from weapons, ammunition and a scope. Wolf turned in a list on those, but it did not include six items including a scope. He will make the $2,200 restitution in that case.
In court Friday Wolf appeared with his attorney, Barry Clark, Manhattan while Assistant Dickinson County Attorney Darryl Hawkins served as the Special Prosecutor in the case. During the proceedings Wolf acknowledged he understood the charges and waived his right to a preliminary hearing. The jury trial scheduled in the case that on the misdemeanor count, plus a felony theft charge that has now been dismissed, was scheduled May 8th and 9th in District court. It will be withdrawn from the court docket.
Wolf was first elected Geary County Sheriff in 2012 and reelected in 2016. He began working for the Sheriff’s Department as a corrections officer in 1996 and later moved to the patrol division.
