PATROL PROBES PERRY SHERIFF'S OFFICE; OPPONENT OF SHERIFF SCHAAF ALLEGES WORNGDOING IN SALE OF CAR

PERRYVILLE -- Allegations of wrongdoing in the Perry County Sheriff's Department have led to a Missouri Highway Patrol investigation and claims of dirty politics.

A former Perry County sheriff's deputy, Raymond Detjen, says Perry County Sheriff Gary Schaaf is involved in a cover-up after selling a stolen car in June 1995. Schaaf denies the allegation.

Detjen is the lone Democratic candidate for sheriff in November; Schaaf is a Republican seeking re-election.

Missouri Highway Patrol's Troop C in Kirkwood has completed an investigation into the car sale and a special prosecutor is deciding whether to file charges.

Schaaf and Detjen agree on one point: A car reported stolen in June 1995 was recovered by the Perry County Sheriff's Department along Interstate 55 in Perry County.

Detjen, the department's chief deputy during most of his career, says Schaaf tried to sell the car to him the night before he and a department detective sold it to someone else.

"I just couldn't hardly believe my eyes," Detjen said. "I've been working there for 15 1/2 years, and I'd never seen anything like it before."

Detjen says Schaaf sold the car and split the profit with a department detective.

Detjen made no report of the matter for eight months. He says he didn't report it immediately because he was afraid the sheriff might fire him. He said he was only months away from retiring and wanted full benefits.

Detjen says he reported it to the Highway Patrol in March after an investigation already had been initiated.

That inquiry, Schaaf says, was begun after he first heard of Detjen's allegations. Schaaf said he called the Highway Patrol's Division of Drug and Crime Patrol and requested an investigation to get the matter resolved.

"The report clearly states I had nothing to do with it," said Schaaf, who has seen the report.

Schaaf on Tuesday discussed the matter with a reporter. On Wednesday he issued written statements about it and asked that only the written statements -- not those he made to the reporter -- be attributed to him in this report. His remarks of Tuesday are included, however.

Sgt. Hubert Looney of the patrol in Kirkwood said the investigation is complete. Looney said he couldn't comment and questions would have to be referred to the prosecutor in charge.

A Perry County judge appointed Stoddard County Prosecuting Attorney Briney Welborn as special prosecutor because Perry County Prosecuting Attorney Tom Hoeh had a conflict of interest.

Welborn refused to comment on the report. He said he is waiting for more information before deciding whether to file charges.

Schaaf says Detjen just wants to become sheriff.

"It's just a bunch of hogwash stirred up by my Democratic opponent," said Schaaf. "It's really a bunch of baloney."

He said Detjen, one of two other candidates for sheriff, is trying to ruin him politically.

"It's a ridiculous thing," Schaaf said. "There's nothing to the charges. He knows damned good and well I didn't do it. This is an election year, and if people can't come up with facts they make stuff up."

Said Schaaf: "If that's the only thing he's got, he should stay at home. He should run on his own merits unless he doesn't have any."

Schaaf said the original owner gave the car to the detective, who sold it and made a small profit. The sheriff said he didn't participate in or make any money from the sale.

Schaaf said the detective initially asked him if he could accept the car from the original owner, who no longer wanted it or the trouble of coming from his home in Oklahoma to get it.

The sheriff said that, considering the condition of the vehicle and the repairs it needed, he wasn't interested in the car.

"I told the detective not to accept the car," Schaaf said. "It didn't sound ethical. It just didn't feel right."

Schaaf said the detective decided to compromise and told the original owner he would sell the car for him and split the money.

Schaaf said the car never actually was stolen but was taken by the owner's son, who had run away from home. The owner reported the car stolen, Schaaf said. The runaway abandoned the car in Perry County after it broke down.

The original owner, Tommy Rhodes of Vinita, Okla., said he reported the car stolen after his son ran away and later authorized someone from the sheriff's department to sell the car, a 1978 Porsche he called a "piece of junk." He eventually signed the title over to that person.

Rhodes said he couldn't remember who he talked to or to whom he signed over the title. Schaaf refused to name the detective allegedly involved.

Rhodes said: "He said he was going to buy it, and then he called me back and said something was wrong with it. He said he was going to sell it and send me some of the money, but I never got any.

"But I don't think he should get in any trouble over it. He was doing me a favor. I didn't want the car anyway."

Schaaf said the detective made a deal with a local auto dealership to take the car to an auction after repairing it. The detective agreed to give some of the money to the dealer for their work.

Schaaf said the car was sold at auction for less than $500. After figuring repairs, tow bills and auction fees, there was less than $200 a piece for the detective and dealer.

Schaaf said the detective called Rhodes, who told him to keep the money since it was such a small amount.

"I don't think there was any law broken," Schaaf said. "If the guy wants to give the car to him he can. There's nothing really illegal about it."

Detjen disagreed.

"Even if the guy offered the car to them, they just can't sell it," he said. "The money has to go to the county."

Detjen said the car was still in the national police system listed as stolen as late as February. Detjen said that makes him believe Schaaf was covering up the sale.

Schaaf doesn't deny that the car was still on file as stolen. He said his department immediately reported it recovered but that Oklahoma authorities neglected to remove the vehicle from their system.