Rutherford County -- October 1, 2026: A Rutherford County, North Carolina, detention officer has been terminated and arrested on a felony embezzlement charge, following an investigation into allegations of stolen funds from a released inmate.
Kristie Bedrin, an employee of the Rutherford County Detention Center, was terminated, charged with one count of felony embezzlement of funds or property by public officers, trustees, and employees. Authorities transported Bedrin to the Polk County Detention Center, where the arrest warrant was served. She was assigned a $10,000 secured bond.
The investigation began after the Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office Investigation Division received a complaint from a former inmate. The individual disputed the amount of money returned upon release compared to the amount recorded when entering the detention center. This complaint prompted a formal investigation by the Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigation Division, working in conjunction with the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation.
After reviewing evidence and conducting interviews, investigators determined that probable cause existed to charge a Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office detention center employee, Kristie Bedrin, with one count of felony embezzlement of funds or property by public officers, trustees, and employees.