A proposed plea deal has been reached in the case against former Becker County Sheriff Tim Gordon.
According to Assistant Stearns County Attorney Kevin Voss, the proposed deal includes the two felonies of theft by swindle and making false claims being dropped.
Gordon would instead plead guilty to misconduct of a public officer (for making a false document), which is a gross misdemeanor.
Under the agreement, the former sheriff would sentenced to 12 months in jail, which would be stayed for two years, during which time he would be on probation.
Gordon would serve 10 days in jail or complete 80 hours of community service work, pay a fine of $900 and pay restitution to Becker County in the amount of $7,856 prior to the plea hearing.
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He would also not be able to renew his peace officer’s license.
According to Voss, this proposed deal is just that - a proposal agreed to by both the state and Gordon’s attorney, Paul Thorwaldsen of Detroit Lakes.
The proposed agreement will be brought before a judge in Detroit Lakes on May 6 for approval.
The criminal complaint filed against Gordon followed a yearlong investigation by the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension that claimed Gordon sold Becker County a used boat that he owned and tried to pass it off as new.
The complaint alleges that Gordon sold his boat for an inflated price through the use of false documents that hid his ownership and that he later told investigators he had purchased the boat, motor and trailer with his own funds for more than receipts showed he did.
The complaint states that Gordon said he had approximately $9,000 in-vested in the boat, motor and trailer.
Investigators found the equipment to be worth roughly $3,500, while the actual amount paid by the county in the form of a DNR grant was $7,856.
Gordon retired suddenly two years ago before the investigation came to light.
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To avoid a conflict of interest, the case is being tried by the Stearns County Attorney’s Office.
