He submitted his resignation Wednesday, effective immediately, Kelly said.
“He cannot be a deputy sheriff,” Kelly said, because a felony conviction prohibits gun ownership and therefore work as a peace officer.
Kerns is a 14-year veteran, former Marine, and the last person the sheriff expected to be involved with this type of offense, Kelly said.
“He had an outstanding record with us,” Kelly said.
Kerns did not return a call from this newspaper seeking comment Friday.
He is convicted of a fourth-degree felony which carries a possible maximum sentence of six to 18 months in prison and a possible fine of up to $5,000, according to the Champaign County prosecutor.
In court on Monday he admitted that he attempted to obstruct justice by destroying a letter written to him by murder suspect Christopher Myers, who is his relative.
Myers wrote a letter to Kerns from the Tri-County Regional Jail in Mechanicsburg in which he allegedly provided details about the death of his father, Jerald Myers, 65, of Urbana, during Memorial Day weekend.
He then called Kerns and reportedly said the letter could be used as evidence against him and he never should have written it, according to Champaign County Prosecutor Kevin Talebi.
Christopher Myers has been charged with 10 felony counts, including aggravated murder and multiple charges of murder, felonious assault and domestic violence. His case is still pending.
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