Baxter County, AR. – A former employee of the Baxter County Sheriff’s Office has been arrested and booked into a Detention Center on unemployment fraud charges following a joint investigation between the Baxter County Sheriff’s Office and the Arkansas State Police.
Michelle Dawn Hood, 52 years old of Norfork, Arkansas, surrendered herself to the Detention Center Tuesday afternoon, February 8th, to be served with a bench warrant that had been issued for her arrest.
The criminal investigation was initiated after the Baxter County Government had been notified that Michelle Hood had received unemployment benefits charged against Baxter County. At the time Michelle Hood applied for and received these unemployment benefits she was employed full time by the Baxter County Sheriff’s Office and had sustained no loss of wages or income from Baxter County during the period of time in question. Arkansas Workforce Services notified the Baxter County Human Resources Office that over a period of time stretching from the first quarter of 2020 through May, 2021, $30,762.00 in unemployment benefits had been paid to Michelle Hood that were charged against Baxter County.
At this point, the case file was turned over to the Arkansas State Police to pursue further, with the Sheriff’s Office cooperating and assisting with the investigation as needed. A warrant for her arrest was issued on 01/26/2022, and Michelle Hood was booked into the Detention Center yesterday, 02/08/2022, on one count of Theft of Public Benefits, a Class B Felony. She was released from custody after posting $2,500 bond and will appear before the Baxter County Circuit Court later this month.
