Former Craighead County Clerk Jacob "Kade" Holliday, already facing state criminal charges alleging he stole money while in office, was hit with 11 federal wire fraud charges in an indictment announced Wednesday by Cody Hiland, the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas.
A grand jury returned the indictment late Tuesday. It alleges that Holliday, 32, Holliday transferred money over a period of about six months this year from the Craighead County Clerk's bank account to his own personal and business accounts.
"He then allegedly obtained cashier's checks in approximately the same amounts and further converted them to his own use," prosecutors said in a news release.
"We take all allegations of undermining public trust very seriously," Hiland said. "In this case and in all potential cases, any reports of public corruption will be thoroughly investigated by our office with the help of our law enforcement partners."
Dustin McDaniel, Holliday's attorney, said he and his client hadn't seen the indictment yet but had expected it.
"We have been cooperating with the United States attorneys office and will continue to do so," McDaniel said. "However, until we can review the specifics of the indictment, we cannot comment further."
Holliday is charged with 11 counts of wire fraud, one for each of the 11 transactions he made from January 29 to June 24. He's scheduled to appear before U.S. Magistrate Judge Joe J. Volpe for plea and arraignment on Dec. 17.
The maximum penalty for wire fraud is not more than 20 years' imprisonment, a fine of not more than $250,000, and not more than three years of supervised release.
The FBI and the Arkansas State Police conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Allison W. Bragg is prosecuting the case.
Holliday has been charged in Craighead County Circuit Court with 13 counts of theft, one count of abuse of office and one count of forgery. He has not entered a plea. He had a court appearance scheduled for Oct. 29, but that has been delayed until Feb. 23.
In October, Holliday filed Chapter 7 bankruptcy, listing $3.8 million in debts and $1.6 million in assets. His main asset is his $299,000 Jonesboro home, on which he owes $299,000. Other property includes a 2008 Cadillac Escalade with an estimated value of $60,000, the same amount he owes on it.
Before the filing, Holliday agreed to pay $1.4 million to the county to settle a civil lawsuit over the embezzlement allegations.
(Mark Friedman contributed to this report.)
