Accomplice: Decatur cop stole about $70,000

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January 7, 2009

By Jean Cole The News Courier Wed Jan 07, 2009, 10:35 AM CST

The woman charged with helping Decatur Police Sgt. Faron White escape to Las Vegas knew White had stolen about $70,000 in cash from the narcotics office, according to a document filed Tuesday in Morgan County District Court.

White, 48, who was found Monday in Las Vegas, is charged with first-degree theft of property. He is accused of stealing at least $5,000. Richardson, 29, is charged with felony hindering prosecution.

The arrest affidavit for Sarah Elizabeth Richardson, dated Jan. 6 and sworn to by Decatur Police Sgt. Rick Archer, says she met with White about 11:30 p.m. Friday at the Decatur Police Training Center at 4119-A Old Highway 31 South and that “Richardson was aware that White had committed a theft of approximately $70,000 in cash from an evidence safe at the narcotics office.”

She agreed, according to the affidavit, to drive White to the Nashville airport about 6 a.m. Saturday so he could “evade apprehension.”

At the airport, she waited while White bought a ticket (for Nevada) and went to the check-in area, the record shows.

The affidavit also says “Richardson maintained telephone contact with White during the next few days, providing White with information concerning the investigation into his disappearance.”

White's family reported him missing Saturday. Detectives found evidence of a struggle at White's office and crews searched the Tennessee River and surrounding areas for days looking for White.

According to an Associated Press report Tuesday, Richardson was a volunteer who had been helping White's unit and had apparently developed a romantic relationship with the officer, said Decatur Police Chief Ken Collier. Despite the search, the chief said detectives suspected it was all a ruse, according to the AP.

"The investigators involved didn't fall off the pumpkin truck last week. They sensed something was wrong early on," Collier said.

He also said White had been under a lot of pressure - an ill father, unexpected household debt and had been making trips to a casino in Tunica, Miss., according to the AP.

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Accomplice: Decatur cop stole about $70,000

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