Wendel
Don Hughes, the Sallisaw police officer charged with larceny of domestic
animals, was sentenced Monday to a10-year suspended sentence with restitution.
“He
took a 10- year suspended sentence with restitution of $72,301 to be paid back
in $600 increments,” Josh King, an assistant district attorney in Adair County,
said.
King said the amount
of restitution was determined from the sale barn receipts.
All though the
restitution amount has been ordered, Hughes has the full term of his probation
to pay the entire amount.
Hughes, 38, of
Sallisaw was charged with multiple counts of stealing cattle and one horse.
Hughes had worked for
the Sallisaw Police Department for eight years when the charges were filed in
January 2011.
Hughes was suspended
after the charges were filed and then later fired after he allegedly shot
himself and blamed the owner of the stolen cattle.
Hughes stole 178 head
of cattle and sold them at auction under his name. According to court
documents, he delivered the horse to a personal friend in Virginia.
“Our goal was to make
the victim whole and allow him to recover fully from his losses. We will revoke
the sentence if Mr. Hughes fails to pay,” King said.
King said this is a
felony conviction and as such will bar Hughes from working as a police officer.
