The Arkansas State Police have completed their investigation into actions taken by staff at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff that were uncovered as part of an audit performed by the University of Arkansas System and turned their findings over to Jefferson County prosecutor S. Kyle Hunter and his staff.
Hunter said that there is no timeframe as to when his office will announce whether criminal charges should be filed as a result of the investigation.
“The State Police have completed their investigation and have turned it over to me,” Hunter said from his office Wednesday afternoon. “I am in the process of going through it so that we can determine what the next steps should be. I’m trying to go through it as thoroughly and as quickly as I can.”
The University of Arkansas System released Feb. 27 audit findings and the names of four UAPB employees fired Feb. 21 in connection with $736,880 in payments that did not go through the proper accounting channels, $4,219 in funds to an individual who could not provide supporting documents, violations of state nepotism codes, general disregard for payroll and vendor procedures and other financial issues associated with the Harrold Dorm Complex and Living Learning Center.
The employees fired as a result of the investigation were Rita Ticey, director of the Harrold Dorm Complex; Desiree C. Ticey, administrative specialist in the Department of Public Safety; Eugene Butler, director of public safety; and Rickey Ticey, security officer and maintenance employee.