The movie Napoleon Dynamite made Preston, Idaho, famous as a quaint mountain town a little out-of-step with the times. Preston, an hour or two south of Pocatello, has recently become famous - or perhaps infamous is more appropriate - in its own right due to official misconduct.

A couple months ago, Preston's Police Cheif Scott Shaw plead guilty to misuse of public money and perjury:

Count Six charged Shaw with misuse of public money by accepting and depositing into his own account a City of Preston check in the amount of $882. According to the complaint, the money was for tuition and per diem to attend the FBI Command College, and Shaw did not attend or attempt to attend the training.

Count Seven accused Shaw of perjury during a deposition in a civil lawsuit Shaw brought against the City of Preston. According to the complaint, Shaw falsely stated under oath that he had kept the $882 in his desk to be used as “buy” money.

As part of a plea agreement, the Attorney General’s Office dismissed the remaining five counts. Those counts alleged unlawful activity by Shaw in obtaining, serving and processing a search warrant at the Preston residence of Bart Pitcher. Pitcher was convicted and sentenced to prison as a result of the unlawful search.

Pitcher's conviction was overturned and he's now suing just about everybody in sight, including Shaw and former Preston Mayor Heusser, who was apparently Pitcher's parole officer:

Pitcher was allegedly coerced into pleading guilty to meth possession and trafficking charges as well as forfeiting property, including his home, vehicles, a trailer, two dragsters, a motorcycle and more.

“Shaw wanted to keep the motorcycle as a trophy,” the document says. Officer Greg Balue allegedly used one of Pitcher's vehicles as his own.

Pitcher was told if he refused, racketeering, rape and federal firearm violations would be filed against him. The home and business of Shaw's ex-wife were also confiscated after Shaw threatened her with unfounded charges.

“Approximately $10,000 was deposited into the Franklin County Drug Endowment Fund from the sale of property seized from (Pitcher and his family),” the complaint says. “Shaw believed that the assets forfeited in Bart's case would ultimately yield approximately $750,000, with which he wanted to build a new police station.”

An investigation by Attorney General Lawrence Wasden's office resulted in Pitcher's conviction being set aside and much of the confiscated property returned. It is also the basis for the civil suit.

It basically alleges that Pitcher was recruited to be an informant to get out of a jam. When Pitcher wanted out to get a handle on his drug problem, the city turned their dogs on Pitcher with some charges that appear to be trumped up. Shaw was sentenced last week and apparently Heusser has just been indicted for misuse of funds. It does not paint a pretty picture.