Hounshell aide pleads guilty to perjury

By John Christian Hopkins
Diné Bureau

ST. JOHNS, Ariz. — Hugh Lynch, a top aide in the Apache County Sheriff's Office, pled guilty in Maricopa County Superior Court Wednesday to lying to a State Grand Jury, according to County Commissioner Tom White Jr.

Lynch's misstatements were in connection with a corruption probe the county launched against Sheriff Brian Hounshell.

Lynch had originally told the grand jury that he had gone to Phoenix with Hounshell to buy a new truck for himself. He admitted to Judge Thomas O'Toole that the truck was actually for Hounshell's son.

"Sheriff Brian Hounshell made this plan, and I carried it out with him," said Lynch. "I made a false sworn statement, believing it to be false when I testified that I travelled to Phoenix to purchase a truck for myself, personally."

The grand jury testimony was on April 19, 2005.

The Phoenix trip occurred in August, 2003, and Lynch testified that he was paid overtime by the county for this trip. The sheriff also used county equipment to transport the new truck back to Apache County, and gas used during the trip was paid for by the county, said Lynch, in a press release issued by White.

Also, county resources, supposedly used to investigate saddle thefts, were in fact spent on an elk hunt scouting trip by Hounshell and Lynch.

Lynch faces up to six months in jail on each charge, as well as fines and an order to make restitution. In a plea arrangement, Lynch testified in return for probation.

His sentencing is set for March 15.

John Christian Hopkins can be reached at hopkins1960@hotmail.com or by calling 505-371-5443.