Derek Scott Finkbeiner was the Sheriff of Hot Springs County in Arkansas. While sheriff, Finkbeiner warned a local drug dealer that federal investigators were investigating the dealer, even pointing out where they had placed a surveillance camera. He is also alleged to have smoked meth while in uniform. He was also accused of coercing an informant to smoke meth and perform sex acts on him. He was arrested by the FBI in November, 2023. He remained in office during the ongoing investigation against him.
During the investigation, Finkbeiner repeatedly reached out to the investigation team for information. He told the investigation that they should stop looking into the dealer as they were impeding his own investigation. He said there was no drug dealing at the location of the dealer’s home.
Finkbeiner pleaded guilty to a federal charge of falsifying, concealing, misleading information in the FBI’s investigation into drug activity in his county. The feds dropped five other charges. They asked the judge to sentence him for up to ten years, far more than the usual sentence, but explained that his actions were “shocking and grievous” and said he did more for his drug dealer than he did for the people of Hot Springs County.
He also pleaded guilty to two state charges, misuse of the crime database and sexual solicitation (ignoring the element of coercion.) He was sentenced to six months for the state charges to run concurrently with the federal sentence which has not been handed down yet.
- KARK: Hot Spring County Sheriff Scott Finkbeiner charged with obstruction of justice tied to federal drug investigation
- Malvern Online: Federal Prosecutors Request “Years Above” Typical Sentencing Range for Former HSC Sheriff
- THV 11: Former Hot Spring County sheriff now sentenced on state charges
- Arkansas Courts: 30CR-24-59: STATE V DEREK SCOTT FINKBEINER