Tarrillion pleads guilty to misdemeanor

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- A former police chief is about to become an inmate.

Keith Tarrillion, who resigned from the Perryville Police Department in March 2013 amid allegations of professional misconduct, pleaded guilty Wednesday morning to a misdemeanor charge of making a false report.

In exchange for Tarrillion's guilty plea, prosecutor Brent A. Connelly, assistant attorney general for Missouri, dropped a felony charge of forgery stemming from an improperly filed police report.

Under a plea agreement with Connelly, Tarrillion pleaded guilty to the misdemeanor; surrendered his Peace Officer Standards and Training certification and license; and accepted a six-month suspended jail sentence, 10 days in the Madison County, Missouri, Jail -- to be served in two-day increments throughout August -- and a year of court-supervised probation.

Under a memorandum of understanding with the city of Perryville, Tarrillion also must reimburse the city for the salary and benefits he received between his March resignation and his Nov. 1 arrest.

Whether the city actually will receive that money is another question.

In sentencing Tarrillion, Judge Robin Fulton stipulated the former chief must repay the money as a condition of his probation unless a bankruptcy court rules otherwise.

Tarrillion's attorney, Pat McMenamin, told Fulton in court Wednesday his client intends to file for bankruptcy protection.

Tarrillion's legal woes began in February 2013, when the city attorney, city administrator and human resource officer met with a police department employee to discuss allegations of conduct by Tarrillion "inconsistent with his official character and duty."

The city hired Paul Nen-ninger, a former Secret Service agent from Cape Girardeau, to investigate the allegations against Tarrillion, which ranged from sexual harassment to threatening employees.

During his investigation, Nenninger turned up a 2010 report of property damage at Tarrillion's house, filed under another officer's name.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol investigated the report, and the Missouri attorney general's office in November charged Tarrillion with theft, forgery and making a false report.

At a preliminary hearing in January, a claims adjuster testified Tarrillion submitted the report to his insurance company, California Casualty, which later issued him a pair of payments totaling $5,400.

At that hearing, Judge Gary Kamp dismissed the theft charge but found probable cause to go forward with the other charges.

Because Perryville's police chief is an elected official rather than an appointed employee, the city could not fire Tarrillion.

Instead, city leaders allowed Tarrillion to resign under a memorandum of understanding that required Perryville to continue to pay his salary and benefits through the end of his term -- which expired April 1 -- or until he was charged with a crime.

Under the agreement, Tarrillion's guilty plea means he must pay the city back for money and benefits he received after his resignation.

Had he taken the case to trial and been exonerated, the city would have owed him back pay and benefits through April 1.

The Missouri Supreme Court assigned Fulton -- a Madison County associate circuit judge -- to the case in February after Perry County Circuit Judge Benjamin Lewis recused himself and ordered the case be given to an out-of-circuit judge.

Tarrillion's resignation prompted city leaders to place a referendum on the November ballot, asking residents whether they would like to switch from electing a chief to appointing one.

The answer was a resounding "no" as voters overwhelmingly rejected the ballot measure, and in April, Lt. Direk Hunt -- who had served as interim chief after Tarrillion's resignation -- was elected chief, defeating city code enforcement officer Joe Martin.

A third candidate, Sgt. Brad Pitts of the Perryville Police Department, was disqualified in January after City Clerk Tracy Prost discovered he owed the city about $32 in delinquent personal property taxes.

During the same election cycle, Tarrillion's wife, Shannon, ran for Ward 2 alderman, losing to incumbent Curt Buerck.

On Tuesday -- just a day before Keith Tarrillion's guilty plea -- Hunt announced the Missouri State Highway Patrol was conducting a criminal investigation into a complaint against a Perryville police officer.

Hunt did not release the officer's name, but in response to a sunshine request from the Southeast Missourian, Prost confirmed Pitts was the officer in question.

After the plea hearing Wednesday, McMenamin said his client was glad to get the situation behind him.

"Chief Tarrillion is pleased that he has been absolved of all the felony charges, and he is looking forward to moving on with his life," McMenamin said.

City leaders declined to comment on the former chief's plea Wednesday, but privately, most seemed to share a sentiment Fulton expressed Wednesday in court.

"Get it all done, get this behind you, and let's move on," Fulton said after handing down the sentence Wednesday. "From what I understand, this has been dragging on."

epriddy@semissourian.com

388-3642

Pertinent address:

Perryville, MO