Former UCA Chief of Staff Jack Gillean’s jury trial is set for 9 a.m. Oct. 28 in Van Buren County.
A final pretrial hearing has also been scheduled for 1 p.m. Oct. 4. Pretrial motions must be filed by Sept. 10. The dates were set Tuesday before Faulkner County Circuit Judge Charles E. Clawson Jr. at a pretrial hearing.
Tuesday’s 9 a.m. hearing was changed at the last minute Monday morning because Gillean’s attorneys had commitments in other courts. Gillean did not speak during the hearing.
Gillean was charged with four felony offenses and a misdemeanor offense Oct. 5, 2012 and turned himself in to Faulkner County police Oct. 10, 2012 after initially saying he would turn himself over to authorities Oct. 8, 2012. He was released on $17,500 bail.
Gillean resigned from UCA on June 15, 2012 following a complaint alleging possible criminal behavior on campus between March 8, 2011 and April 23, 2011.
Judge Clawson ruled in favor of Gillean’s motion for a change of venue in May, citing “unwanted [pretrial]publicity” and an “environment where this defendant could be in a situation that his responsibility for any criminal actions could be tainted by the public’s perception of the past few years.”
In the court order, Clawson said UCA “has gone through a period where a number of higher level officials at the university have been involved in the criminal justice system” until the appointment of Tom Courtway as UCA president. He called the danger of a negative environment “too great.”
Three of the four charges are counts of commercial burglary and relate to accusations that Gillean gave former student Cameron Stark his university master keys and ID, allowing Stark access to steal tests from professors’ offices and take medication from former Assistant Director of Scholarships Andrew Linn.
Lt. Preston Grumbles with UCAPD found Gillean’s master key in Stark’s pocket. When UCAPD asked Stark how he got the keys, he said, “Jack [Gillean] gave them to me.” Stark said he used the keys approximately 20 times to steal tests from science and history professors’ offices.
UCA President Tom Courtway fired Linn after the former director refused to resign following an internal audit that looked into scholarships. Linn approved financial aid for Stark without proper documentation to cover the cost of car repairs, according to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. Linn filed a complaint June 11, 2012 alleging that medication left in his desk drawer was missing.
Gillean received a felony charge for fraudulent insurance acts and a misdemeanor for issuing a false financial statement.
He made a claim to Progressive Group of Insurance Companies that he wrecked his motorcycle on Irby Drive, receiving a $4,631 settlement. It was later determined that Stark was responsible for the motorcycle accident.
A third UCA employee tied to Stark, former Special Projects Director for Enrollment Management Larry Burns, resigned in February. He cited a “new career opportunity” as the reason for his abrupt leave from the university. An internal audit found that Burns renewed a scholarship for Stark even though he had not completed the required hours.
Related stories from The Echo:
- “Judge moves Gillean trial to Van Buren County, cites ‘unwanted publicity’” – May 17
- “Gillean pretrial moves to May 10; attorneys seek move of trial venue” – March 6
- “Former campus administrators plead not guilty” – Nov. 28, 2012
- “Gillean turns himself in to Faulkner County Police” – Oct. 17, 2012
- “Former chief of staff receives four felony charges” – Oct. 10, 2012
(Associate editor Brandon Riddle, senior, is a print journalism major and can be contacted via email at [email protected].)
