Former Dundy County Sheriff pleads to firearm charge

BENKELMAN, Neb. - Clinton “C.J.” Smith, 43, once served as the sheriff of Dundy County, but his tenure ended in controversy and a recall by voters in November 2023 for failing to secure his law enforcement certification.

Soon after, an inventory of the sheriff’s office revealed that four department-owned Glock handguns were unaccounted for.

Investigators with the Nebraska State Patrol executed a search warrant at Smith’s Benkelman home on Dec. 8, 2023, recovering one of the missing firearms.

Smith initially claimed to have no knowledge of the weapons’ whereabouts, later suggesting he might have taken one home for a trip to the shooting range but was unsure if it had been returned.

The discovery of the firearm led to charges of possession of a stolen firearm and theft by unlawful taking.

Under a plea agreement, Smith pleaded no contest to a reduced charge of attempted possession of a stolen firearm, a class 3A felony.

The theft charge was dropped as part of the deal.

Smith now awaits sentencing, scheduled for March 2024, and faces up to three years in prison and a $10,000 fine.