Kennewick, WA
Benton County commissioners met behind closed doors to talk about what they should do about the county-owned ammunition and guns found in Sheriff Jerry Hatcher’s home.
Commissioner Shon Small announced Tuesday at the beginning of the board’s regular meeting in Prosser that they were adding the executive session to the end of their published meeting agenda.
The Tri-City Herald objected to the closing of the meeting if it involved Hatcher, who is not an employee under the county commissioners. He is independently elected.
After a moment of conferring privately on the objection, the commissioners proceeded to close the meeting to the public.
On Wednesday, Commissioner Jerome Delvin confirmed that they were discussing how to react to the 14 cases of county-owned ammunition and two guns discovered in the sheriff’s house and garage.
“If we think there is county property that has been misappropriated, we are required by law to report it,” Delvin told the Herald.
Delvin, a former Richland police officer, said he personally believes Hatcher “misappropriated” the county property.
Last week, Hatcher told the Herald it’s not illegal or unusual to have county property at home, and he said the ammunition was for shooting practice. He’s maintained that he hasn’t been back to that home since last fall.
On Tuesday, the commissioners met in executive session for 20 minutes and then added another 20 minutes before adjourning the meeting and taking no action.
They didn’t take any action because it has already been reported to the state and county auditor’s offices, Delvin said.
State auditors investigate allegations of theft of public funds or property, which sometimes lead to criminal investigations or changes in agency procedures and policies.
Prosecutor Andy Miller attended the session via teleconference from the Benton County Justice Center in Kennewick. It’s unclear who else participated in the meeting with Small and Commissioners Jim Beaver and Jerome Delvin.
14 cases of county ammo
The sheriff’s estranged wife, Monica Hatcher, reported recently in a court document filed in divorce court that she found an estimated 15,000 rounds of ammunition and several guns at the house and turned it all over to Kennewick police. Two guns and 14 of the 15 cases of ammo belonged to the county.
Last October, Sheriff Hatcher was ordered to turn in all weapons as part of a protection order issued by a judge because of a domestic violence allegation.
Though the sheriff has adamantly denied any wrongdoing, the Benton County Deputy Sheriff’s Guild later issued a statement calling the cache “extraordinary” and “somewhat mindboggling.”
The union called for an outside criminal investigation and an internal administrative review into why the taxpayer-funded property was stored at Hatcher’s house.
Franklin County Sheriff Jim Raymond later confirmed to the Herald that he has agreed after a request from Hatcher to conduct an administrative review of some operations at the Benton County Sheriff’s Office.
He said his investigators will review policies including the ammo and guns retrieved from the house, but they won’t be doing a criminal investigation of anything.
This story was originally published March 11, 2020 12:53 PM.