Former Brunswick sheriff to plead guilty to state charges

Former Brunswick County Sheriff Ronald Hewett will plead guilty Monday in Superior Court to state charges, according to the district attorney’s office.

Hewett is charged with three counts of embezzlement and one count of obstruction of justice.

District Attorney Rex Gore said he couldn’t comment on terms of the plea.

“Because of state bar rules, the only thing I can really tell you is he has a scheduled court appearance,” Gore said.

On Monday, Hewett was sentenced to 16 months in prison on a federal charge of obstructing justice. The federal investigation found the former sheriff had tried to obstruct a federal grand jury investigation of him and his office.

That investigation began in December 2006 on suspicions that he was misusing public funds by having deputies perform landscaping and other tasks on his property. The government was also investigating reports that Hewett demanded his employees campaign for him while on duty and reports that Hewett did not prosecute some family members or relatives of prominent residents.

Several of Hewett’s employees and family members received subpoenas in June 2007 to testify before a federal grand jury, and the sheriff’s office also received a subpoena to turn over seven years worth of financial, personnel and other types of documents.

Most of the employees who received subpoenas to testify also banded together in March to submit affidavits to Gore detailing their allegations. Some also submitted recordings of phone calls and conversations in which Hewett discussed the federal investigation and asked deputies what they knew about it.

Hewett was suspended from office March 27 and was indicted four days later on the state charges. He resigned April 15.

Gore was waiting for Hewett to be sentenced in federal court before moving forward with the state charges.

Shannan Bowen: 264-8345

shannan.bowen@starnewsonline.com