Prosecutor Says Fired Mingo Deputy Should Be Reinstated

Mingo County's prosecutor says a fired deputy sheriff needs to be reinstated because he may have been illegally fired.

Sgt. Arthur Farra was let go in February by the late Sheriff Eugene Crum. The dismissal was upheld by a civil service commission.

Now Mingo County Prosecutor Michael Sparks is urging his rehiring because he believes Farra was not fired for the stated reasons and there is concern it's somehow linked to the federal probe of Mingo County that has already led to charges against public officials.

Jeff Cline, who is named but not charged in the indictment against Judge Michael Thornsbury, was on the civil service commission when it upheld the firing of Farra. Sparks is calling for his reinstatement with back pay by whoever becomes the new sheriff.