Weeks before placing his undersheriff, Robin Cronk, on administrative leave during a corruption probe, Montezuma County Sheriff Dennis Spruell told him to stop living a high life on the department's dime.
Spruell revealed the warning during a 98-minute interview with Colorado Bureau of Investigations agent Randy Watts on June 19, 2013. Sealed during criminal proceedings, the audio became public after Cronk was sentenced last week to 30 days in jail.
Spruell's warning surfaced as Watts asked Spruell if there had ever been any disciplinary issue involving his second in command.
"I had one," Spruell said. "It was a violation of a guy's constitutional rights."
Cronk was verbally reprimanded for the 2012 incident, Spruell said.
"Was there anything above that?" Watts asked.
Spruell hesitated, and initially said no, but was quick to point out that weeks before the CBI interview, Cronk had upgraded his conference hotel room in Breckenridge at an additional cost of $30 per day.
"I went to him and told him, Quit living on your champagne taste with our beer budget," Spruell said.
The recording also indicated that Spruell was oblivious to Cronk's tax-dollar spending spree. Asked repeatedly by Watts about transactions that Cronk had made over a 26-month span, Spruell said he was unaware of the unauthorized purchases until notified by the CBI.
On Jan. 11, 2011, as Spruell took command as sheriff, Cronk was tapped as undersheriff, with authority over the department's personnel and financial issues, including purchases, Spruell told Watts.
"(Cronk) OK'd the bills to be paid," Spruell said. "Anything over $500, I was to be made aware of. My bad - I didn't follow through with that."
Spruell further stated that Cronk was responsible for making monthly deposits to cover department expenses, which averaged more than $100,000 a month. Spruell said he was rarely made aware of all individual financial decisions, even after Cronk purchased a $1,000 treadmill for the department during the summer of 2012.
The interview then switched to the types of weapons issued to deputies and jailers, and Spruell told investigators he was unaware that Cronk had purchased an ArmaLite SAS sniper rifle from a Miami dealer for $2,900. Cronk was never a member of the department's sniper team.
"It was never authorized, and I wouldn't have authorized that," Spruell said.
During the CBI interview, it was further revealed that $2,900 in cash was withdrawn from a sheriff's office bank account, and a money order was used to purchase the ArmaLite rifle. Spruell said his secretary informed him of the transaction the day before the CBI interview, the day that the CBI seized firearms from Cronk's residence.
"That's unacceptable," Spruell said. "I'm embarrassed."
Spruell also told investigators that he was unaware that Cronk had used a department-issued credit card to purchase a Springfield .45 XD-S handgun from a Scottsdale dealer just days before the interview.
"I would have never, ever allowed that, ever," Spruell said.
"Can I ask you why?" Watts asked.
"It's not part of our, uh, arsenal of weapons, and, um, I am not going to buy individual guns for people," Spruell said.
Watts then explained to Spruell that Cronk had indicated during an interview the previous day that deputies could use their annual $500 clothing allowance to buy personal firearms.
"If I could be frank, that's bull----," Spruell said. "No one is allowed to buy personal property off a clothing allowance."
Watts also informed Spruell that Cronk had purchased holsters, magazine clips and ammunitions for non-issue firearms using department funds. Spruell said he didn't know about those purchases, saying, "This is the first I've ever heard about it."
Other purchases raised by Watts during the 98-minute interview included receipts for auto tire service, a handmade rack for an ATV, two generators for a fifth-wheel trailer and a Canadian flag and flag pole, to name a few.
Spruell again said he was unaware of the purchases. Cronk had told Watts that he had discussed the matters with Spruell.
tbaker@cortezjournal.com