Hot Spring County, Arkansas – Derek Scott Finkbeiner, the former sheriff of Hot Spring County, has been sentenced on state charges after striking a plea deal on two misdemeanor counts. Finkbeiner, who was arrested earlier this year, now faces consequences for unauthorized use of a crime database and sexual solicitation, charges which stem from his actions while in office.
In the midst of a turbulent legal battle, Finkbeiner reached an agreement with prosecutors on two misdemeanor charges. This resolution followed his earlier guilty plea to the federal charge of “engaging in a scheme to conceal a material fact from a governmental agency.” The former sheriff was arrested by federal agents on February 7, and initially faced a total of six federal charges. However, through the plea deal, Finkbeiner agreed to plead guilty to one charge, and in return, five additional federal charges were dismissed.
Finkbeiner’s guilty plea was entered during a hearing in El Dorado, Arkansas. After the hearing, he was processed and released from the Saline County Detention Center, where he awaited sentencing. While he has now been sentenced on the state charges, his legal journey is far from over, as he still faces a federal sentence that has yet to be determined.
A state judge handed down a sentence of six months for Finkbeiner, but with three months already credited for jail time served, the former sheriff will only serve an additional three months. He was also slapped with a hefty fine of $4,500 as part of his penalty. The judge’s decision on the state charges is not the final word in Finkbeiner’s case, as the matter of his federal sentencing still looms.
Finkbeiner’s federal sentence will play a crucial role in determining his total penalty. The state judge deferred the sentencing, pending the outcome of the federal case. Once that sentence is handed down, the additional penalty can be assessed, but any state sentence will run concurrently with the federal sentence and cannot exceed it.
The case has attracted considerable attention, given Finkbeiner’s former role as a law enforcement leader. His actions have sparked public outrage, particularly regarding his unauthorized use of sensitive crime data and solicitation charges. The community now awaits further developments, as Finkbeiner’s federal sentencing will likely bring more clarity to the legal consequences of his actions.
As it stands, Finkbeiner’s fall from grace continues to unfold, with the former sheriff now facing the reality of the judicial system’s response to his criminal actions. His sentence on state charges represents a small but significant step in a much larger legal process that will ultimately define his future.
