A Saline County Detention Center official has confirmed that former Hot Spring County Sheriff Scott Finkbeiner was booked into custody again at 12:34 p.m. on Friday, and is currently being held for U.S. Marshals.
Finkbeiner, who formally resigned from his elected position on February 18th, made a deal with government prosecutors and pleaded guilty to one charge of Engaging in a Scheme to Conceal a Material Fact from a Governmental Agency in Western District Federal Court on February 14th. Since then, the former sheriff has been out on presentancing release prior to this incident.
Friday marks the second time that Finkbeiner has been taken back into custody while awaiting a court date for this case -- prior to his February change of plea hearing, he was arrested and booked on February 7th on charges of Tampering With a Witness, Aiding and Abetting Tampering With a Witness, and Commission of a Federal Offense While on Pre-Trial Release. These and five other felony charges from his original indictment were dropped as a result of his eventual plea deal; his sentencing is currently expected to take place this summer.
According to the terms of the agreement, any crime, violation, or failure to appear will allow US prosecutors to reinstate previously dismissed charges or pursue additional charges against him. Finkbeiner will, however, remain bound by the previous terms, and will not be allowed to withdraw his guilty plea unless permitted by the court.
A hearing on this most recent development has been scheduled at the federal courthouse in Hot Springs for 10 a.m. on Monday.
