Attorney General's News Release

November 19, 1999

Miller County jury finds former deputy sheriff guilty on two felony counts

Tuscumbia, Mo. —A jury today found former Miller County deputy sheriff Larry L. Young guilty of two felony charges in connection with his accepting sexual intercourse from a woman on whom he failed to execute an arrest warrant.

Young, age 59, was charged by Attorney General Jay Nixon with the felony counts in March after an investigation by the Missouri State Highway Patrol's Division of Drug and Crime Control, the Missouri State Water Patrol and the Federal Bureau of Investigation into allegations of corruption at the Miller County sheriff's department and jail.

Young did not execute the felony arrest warrant for bad checks on the woman last fall, but instead accepted sexual intercourse in return for his not arresting her. The jury recommended that Young pay a fine on the conviction; the maximum fine allowed by law on the two charges is $5,000 for each count. Sentencing is set for Jan. 24.

"The people of Miller County have spoken," Nixon said. "When presented with the facts in a court of law, they found that corruption had taken place."

Three former jailers and two inmates have already pleaded guilty to charges filed by Nixon in connection with the investigation. Two other jailers are scheduled to go to trial in January. Nixon also has filed a civil petition seeking ouster of the Miller County sheriff, alleging his misconduct in office.

Inquiries from consumers should be directed to consumer@ago.mo.gov or 1-800-392-8222 (from within Missouri) or 573-751-3321 (outside Missouri).

All media inquiries should be directed to Press Secretary John Fougere.

E-mail      Phone: 573-751-8844         Fax: 573-751-5818