Mike Fitzhugh Officially New Sheriff

Jan 16, 2017 at 04:30 pm by bryan


Mike Fitzhugh is officially the new Rutherford County Sheriff. After being voted in by the Rutherford County Commission last Thursday and sworn in after the meeting, he received his bond at 12:01am Monday morning.

Fitzhugh spent his first official work day talking with former sheriff and talk show host Truman Jones. He became the sheriff-appointee last Thursday and has spent the time since talking to many at the sheriff's department...

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The new sheriff says that despite the mismanagement issues that plagued the department in the past, there are many great people who stayed on the ship to keep it going...

Fitzhugh, age 71, worked for BellSouth, was former director of the Rutherford County Rescue Squad and retired in 2013 as captain at the sheriff's department.

The vote by the commission was forced after convicted Sheriff Robert Arnold was jailed and suspended while awaiting a trial next month on federal corruption charges.

Arnold will face the courts on February 7, 2017. The 14-count indictment charges former Sheriff Arnold with honest services fraud; mail fraud; wire fraud; bribery concerning federal programs; extortion under color of official right; obstruction of justice; and conspiracy.

Also facing the charges are former Rutherford County Sheriff's Chief Administrative Deputy Joe L. Russell II, 49, and Arnold's uncle, John Vanderveer, 58, of Marietta, Georgia. Russell was terminated by the Sheriff's Office on November 17, 2016.

FULL INTERVIEW WITH SHERIFF FITZHUGH

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