MARCH 28, 2019
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NEWS RELEASE #19-0328
CONTACT: SHERIFF TIM MORSE 785-364-2251
Former Banner Lake Director arrested
Jackson County Sheriff deputies arrested John D. Kennedy, 63, of Hoyt, today on a Jackson County District Court Warrant for burglary and theft that was issued on Wednesday. On February 11, 2019, deputies served a no trespass warning to Kennedy issued by the Jackson County Board of Commissioners. The trespass warning pertained to the former work place for Kennedy as the director of Banner Lake Reservoir. The order prohibited Kennedy from trespassing at his former office and shop space located at Banner Reservoir. The order also instructed Kennedy to return all county owned property, keys and a county credit card. All county property was to be returned to the county by February 15, 2019.
On February 18, 2019, the sheriff’s office was contacted in reference to a possible unauthorized entry to the shop at Banner Reservoir. Deputies collected evidence of a possible burglary to the facility. Investigators determined county property was missing from the shop. The investigation led investigators to obtain a search warrant for Kennedy’s residence located in southeastern Jackson County on February 20, 2019. Jackson County deputies and investigators seized property and tools belonging to Jackson County. The investigation alleges Kennedy not only possessed county property illegally at his residence, but that Kennedy entered the shop with a key on February 18, 2019 and stole fuel from the shop. It is also alleged that Kennedy stole cash from the office on a previous incident.
Kennedy was arrested and booked into the Jackson County Jail on burglary and theft charges. Bond on Kennedy was set at $1,500.00.