Former Sheriff Robert Arnold could be looking at a shorter sentence after arguing he should earn more time for his days spent in the Grayson County Detention Center, saying it was difficult.
Arnold pleaded guilty to corruption and many expect former Rutherford County sheriff Robert Arnold to do long, hard time.
Arnold committed wire fraud and extortion trying to get rich from the sale of Ecigs in the jail. But up until his guilty plea, he rubbed plenty of people the wrong way, denying wrongdoing and taking long trips on the county's dime.
"A lot of stuff could have been prevented if he had stepped down."
"The public deserves integrity from its elected officials and it's disappointing when law enforcement leaders abuse their position and contribute to public distrust," said TBI Director Mark Gwyn at a news conference last year talking about Arnold's federal indictment.
"A lot of stuff could have been prevented if he had stepped down. A lot of people got hurt," said former sheriff's employee Virgil Gammons last month.
Federal sentencing guidelines are 4-6 years. Yet, NewsChannel 5 has learned he may be looking at half that time.
Arnold has planned to argue that he should be credited four days for every one he served in the Grayson County Detention Center in Kentucky.
He said the conditions there were difficult. He said he was unfairly kept in isolation and had no access to commissary food and lost 47 pounds.
The question is: what will Judge Kevin Sharp think? Judge Sharp caught Arnold in several lies during hearings in federal court and even revoked his release sending him to jail.
However, it may not matter, because he is expected to step down in April and may be gone by the time Arnold is sentenced.
Arnold will be sentence by a new judge in who may have a different take on the case. Last month, Arnold was moved from the Kentucky jail to a federal detention facility in Tipton County, Tennessee where he awaits sentencing.
