BELLE — A court date for Belle Mayor Daryl White, Jr., has been set for 9:30 a.m. on Feb. 13 for two alleged misdemeanors — stealing and official misconduct — for a Sept. 26 incident.

Maries County Sheriff Chris Heitman said Tuesday morning that more subpoenas are expected as part of his investigation.

“My office has requested additional subpoenas — for email records and purchase history records,” Heitman said.

Heitman did not disclose who or what the subpoenas were for.

White has yet to speak with Heitman after a search warrant was served at Belle City Hall around 11:50 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 20. However, Heitman confirmed on Dec. 21 that White’s attorney contacted Maries County Judge Kerry G. Rowden and Prosecuting Attorney Tony Skouby.

“White’s attorney contacted Judge Kerry Rowden and Prosecutor Tony Skouby and advised White will not be speaking to law enforcement and his attorney requested a summons be issued. The judge and prosecutor both agreed,” Heitman said.

When asked why his department was looking for White on Dec. 20, Heitman said they wanted to question the mayor about city items believed to be stolen. He was named as a person of interest in the investigation at the time.

“We would like to discuss with (White) items that have been stolen from the city,” Heitman said. “He is a person of interest.”

When asked what they were looking for, Heitman answered, “Any type of improprieties. I expect the financial aspect of the investigation to last for several months.”

The search warrant at Belle City Hall on Dec. 20 resulted in the seizure of copies of the city’s financial records and the DVR from the building’s security cameras in accordance with the Maries County Sheriff’s Office affidavit.

According to the affidavit for warrant request, Heitman requested to recover, “listed items, related receipts and documentation, and credit card utilized as well as to seize and safeguard any other items suspected of being stolen or evidence of any additional criminal activity.”

“Investigators are still actively going through the seized items,” Heitman said on Dec. 21.

He also requested permission to search, “all offices, drawers, cabinets, safes, and any other storage locations, and any area where items to be searched for can be hidden, concealed or secreted. The above-described evidence may be found in “hard copy form or stored in the form of magnetic or electronic coding on computer media or on media capable of being read by a computer or with the aid of computer equipment.”

Heitman alleged in the affidavit a source informed him “the city of Belle Mayor Daryl White, Jr., was stealing from the city again.”

Heitman named witnesses who observed White stealing several cans of spray paint from the City Road Department garage. The source also stated a former public works employee would know more about the items and believed White was also misusing the city’s credit card again.

“The source suggested I check financial records,” Heitman said. “I contacted (former employee) about the paint purchased for the city. The (former employee) stated he did not authorize the purchase, and White had another employee order it from a buddy of White’s. The employee stated the city did not need those items nor were they used by the city when they were employed there.”

According to the affidavit, Heitman obtained the packing slip from Sept. 26, for 36 cans of paint, of which 12 were black spray paint, three cans of lubricant, and 100 cable ties. Heitman also obtained city of Belle bills-to-be-paid from the October 2023 city council meeting, which included a $477.97 purchase to Kimball Midwest and signed minutes where White approved the purchases.

Heitman also alleged White took a firearm from the Belle Police Department.

“I contacted Belle City Marshal Jerry Coborn about the incident,” Heitman continued in the affidavit. “While speaking with Marshal Coborn, he told me White also took one of the police department firearms and explained that this occurred while he was appointed by White as chief of police, and he had not been elected yet. Coborn said White and he were looking at the firearms in the evidence locker around Nov. 20, 2022, when White saw a Glock that had a Masonic emblem on it. White stated, “I like this one, I am taking it home.”

According to the affidavit, Coborn said he knew it was wrong, but did not report the incident at the time because White was his boss, and he was in fear of losing his job and pay, and he needs the job to support his family.”

Coborn told Heitman he was obligated to share about the theft now because “White continues to do wrong things.”

During the evening hours of Dec. 19, Heitman said he contacted Coborn to get the serial number of the weapon and was informed it had been placed back in the evidence locker.

“I contacted Belle City Clerk and confirmed that all records, invoices, receipts, and orders are often placed using the city computers at the City Hall located at 200 East Third Street in Belle,” Heitman said. “Additionally, I want to confirm that none of the items stolen are located in City Hall or the Mayor’s office, and through my training and experience people who commit crimes of stealing often conceal items related to their crimes in private places.”

A Dec. 21 special meeting that the Belle Board of Aldermen expected to conduct at City Hall, with a Christmas party to follow, was canceled, according to a notice on the building’s door. Despite a second notice posted Wednesday that City Hall would be closed on Thursday, the building was open and conducted its Christmas party with board members and most employees present. An emergency closed session meeting was scheduled at 11:40 a.m. Thursday for 5 p.m. on Dec. 22 to discuss personnel.