Reno, Nev. - Daniel G. Bogden, United States Attorney for the District of Nevada, and Ellen B. Knowlton, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for Nevada, announce that MICHAEL KRANOVICH, age 46, a resident of Battle Mountain, Nevada, and former Sheriff of Lander County, Nevada, was sentenced on April 22, 2003, by U.S. District Court Judge Edward C. Reed, Jr. to 18 months in prison and ordered to pay $12,500 in restitution for his conviction on theft of monies from an asset forfeiture fund.

KRANOVICH was indicted by a federal grand jury in July 2002 and charged with Theft Concerning Programs Receiving Federal Funds and Theft of Government Property. On October 25, 2002, KRANOVICH was convicted by a jury of all charges. The jury found that KRANOVICH took approximately $12,500 from the fund, which was created from the seizure and forfeiture of items in federal criminal cases. The Lander County Sheriff's Department maintained custody and control of the fund, which was to be used for future investigations, training, and equipment, etc.

The Court enhanced KRANOVICH's sentence under the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, finding that the defendant had used his position of trust to commit the offense and had obstructed justice by attempting to prevent the investigation concerning the missing funds.

Following service of the sentence of imprisonment, MICHAEL KRANOVICH will also have to serve three years of supervised release and must perform 100 hours of community work service; however, Judge Reed permitted the defendant to remain free on bond until his appeal before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals is resolved.

The case was investigated by Special Agents of the FBI and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Ron Rachow and Sue Fahami.

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