Former sheriff faces charges for gun sale

BEND, Ore. (AP) -- A grand jury has indicted former Deschutes County sheriff Greg Brown, accused of stealing a sheriff's assault weapon and selling it to a Redmond resident.

The indictment on felony theft charges comes as Brown, 50, serves a 33-month prison term for embezzlement at the Nellis Federal Prison Camp outside of Las Vegas, Nevada.

According to the indictment, which was made public last week, Brown sold the Colt long-range, semiautomatic to Rick Glover on Dec. 17, 2002. Glover, 43, who owns a painting business, testified before the grand jury.

The Deschutes County Circuit Court issued a warrant for Brown's arrest based on the indictment, said Mike Dugan, the county's district attorney.

Dugan is filing a motion in U.S. District Court in Eugene to bring Brown back to Deschutes County on the theft charges. Brown's attorney, Jon Springer, could not be reached for comment.

Each theft count is punishable by up to five years in prison or a $100,000 fine.

Brown initially posted an advertisement in the Nickel Ads, asking $1,800 for the semiautomatic rifle, Glover said.

Over the course of several weeks, the former sheriff dropped the price to $1,300. The two agreed on the price and Brown delivered the rifle, Glover said.

Glover had planned to sell the rifle later, he said. But when he examined the firearm, he discovered a label saying the weapon was for police or military use only.

"Boy, I thought I was getting a good deal," Glover said. "Boy, did I get screwed."

Glover handed the rifle over to the Redmond Police Department, which returned it to the sheriff's office.

A one-time Oregon Sheriff of the Year, Brown embezzled nearly $575,000 from Deschutes County and the Sisters-Camp Sherman Rural Fire Protection District.

Brown, who served as the district's chief budget officer, stole $403,431 by diverting payments to personal accounts, law enforcement investigators found. He covered his tracks by falsifying names on canceled checks.

Brown took $171,189 from the county, $150,000 of that in the final five months before the November 2000 election. Those funds were funneled to personal banking accounts in Oregon and Delaware and to Brown's business, Sabbatical Air of Sisters.

Brown made full restitution to both agencies as part of aguilty plea.

The former sheriff is also paying penalties for violating the state's ethics law.