Former Sheriff Chuck Wright sentenced to 41 months in prison for fraud and drug crimes.

What this episode covers

Heidi Harris: Good afternoon, what a day to be in for Charlie James today when Sheriff Chuck Wright has been sentenced. Y'all know the story now, if you don't, he has now been sentenced to 41 months in a federal prison. Sheriff for over 20 years, many people liked him, some people didn't, as is the case of any politician, I suppose. He pled guilty to wire fraud conspiracy, obtaining controlled substances by misrepresentation, and conspiracy to commit theft concerning programs receiving federal funds. Uh, had a drug problem, some people say he was doing uh drugs, drug deals literally in the parking lot at times. Guess he got caught up in the pain pills, whatever, I'm not making excuses for him, I'm just telling you, okay? He requested pills from the sheriff's office employees, obtained medication from people recovering from surgeries. Can you imagine? Your boss comes up to you, "Yeah, yeah, yeah, I see you got your wisdom teeth out. You got any extra Percocet?" I mean, that sounds like this is what was going on. Terrible, just terrible, all kind—basically a breach of the public's trust in a lot of ways. Is 41 months enough? 800-905-0989. Let me grab some phone calls because we have many today on The Charlie James Show. Melvin in Marion, how are you? Welcome to The Charlie James Show. Melvin: I'm doing well, Heidi, good afternoon. I love your show, and you guys are just—you don't beat around the bush, you just say how it is, and I really appreciate that. Heidi Harris: Thank you. Melvin: Uh, I hate to say it, but Chuck, uh, you did the crime, so you need to serve the time. Uh, and did he get enough time? I don't think so, because I'm in Marion County and I see people get much more time just for the drug situations, and they've not been that big. I just have to follow that stuff and try to help people in the same hand, uh, help many people in uh the drug area, and I'm just a guy, I'm not a professional, I'm not a counselor, and I see it all the time. And this guy is really lucky to get 41 months. Uh, I don't know him from Adam, so that’s what I see there. Uh, as far as the back situation, I'm kind of a little disgusted with people used to the back situation. Back, back, back, back, back. I've had back issues for 35 years. That’s when my first back attack happened. And I have gone through sciatic nerve problems, surgery 2010, I've had slipped disks, herniated disks. I've had a bad accident where I had stress herniated, slipped, and all that at one time. I've been on some simple drugs, I've been on uh the oxycodone, and it's not a long-term thing at all. It's like, so from my point, I don't see the addiction problem, but I'm—I'm not trying to be mean, I'm just trying to say I've had this problem for years, I'm not on drug—pain pills all the time. Heidi Harris: Right, that—that’s the difference. Mhm. Melvin: But, just recently— Heidi Harris: Just recently, that’s three months ago, I rolled a tractor, a farm tractor, coming down a steep driveway. I got the heck knocked out of me. I had 12 fractured ribs, herniated disk, partial collapsed lung, bruised lungs, and a big gash in the back of the head, which has made me silly to this day, but I've got a bad concussion out of it. They put me on oxycodone for—they gave me six pills when I left the hospital. Only been in there a day and a half. I spent a day and a half in Mission Hospital. I didn't wake up till I got halfway between Marion and Mission before I knew what happened. Uh, so, the back thing, yes, I agree, there's some serious back problems out there. I agree, I've been through a lot of pain. But apparently, I'm just handling it so different. I did have to request from my family doctor, which they asked me to follow up on. I said, "Doctor, you know, I—" Heidi Harris: Oops, I didn't mean to hang up on you, sorry. That was me, that was my fault. That was my mistake. Wow, well, that’s tough. I don't know how old you are, but it doesn't sound like you should be on a tract ...

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