HERNANDO, Miss. — Hernando Police Captain Russel Perry is off the force in a sea of controversy.
“It’s very serious and I won’t tolerate it,” said Hernando’s new Police Chief Scott Worsham.
He first learned something was wrong during an internal audit after he took over the Police Department last November.
“Upon the course of that audit something just did not look right to me and that’s when I started looking into that and discovered what was going on,” said Worsham.
The Chief would not say how much money was involved, but Perry has been charged with embezzlement.
He had been over the Uniform Patrol Division, the bulk of the Hernando Police Department, which gave him access to funds.
“Any type of purchasing, anything of that nature. He was a high-ranking official in the police department. So he would certainly have access to things of that nature,” said Worsham.
The Chief said Perry, who was facing being fired, resigned in November.
Chief Worsham took what he found to the Desoto County Sheriff’s Department, who is now handling the case.
They investigated for months and a Grand Jury indicted Perry this week.
Neighbors who describe Captain Perry as quiet never saw this coming.
“I would expect more. I have high expectations of anyone in authority, whether it be teachers, bosses, police officers,” said neighbor Karen Agner.
“It is unfortunate, but the positive is that we found out about it and we addressed it. We are not gonna tolerate any criminal activity by anyone, even one of our police officers,” said Worsham.
WREG believes Russel Perry has been released on bond.
No word yet on when he is scheduled to be in court.