Terry King

ALPENA — Former undersheriff Terry King will not face criminal charges for alleged improprieties in his handling of a security contract at the Alpena Combat Readiness Training Center, which was among the list of accusations that led to King being forced out of his job last year.

The Michigan State Police confirmed today that the investigation into King was closed without charges being filed. A completed investigation report was submitted to the Michigan Attorney General’s Office, and no charges were authorized, according to MSP spokesman Lt. Derrick Carroll.

The Attorney General’s Office found insufficient evidence that King violated any state laws, according to Ryan Jarvi, press secretary for the Attorney General’s office.

“While King’s actions may have resulted in a breach of contract, they did not rise to the level of criminal behavior,'” Jarvi said.

The investigation was conducted by detectives from the Michigan State Police Third District, headquartered in Flint, Carroll said.

“I am glad the investigation is over with,” King said today. “But I’m also highly disappointed in (Alpena County Sheriff) Steve Kieliszewski for conducting his internal investigation and going to the attorney general and wasting taxpayer dollars.”

King in June 2019 resigned as Alpena County undersheriff under accusations of improperly billing the state for the county’s service at the base and improperly interfering in an Alpena Police Department investigation.

After King resigned in the face of termination by Kieliszewski, King ran against the sheriff but was defeated in the Republican primary in August.

King has sued the sheriff, alleging he was forced out of the county for blowing the whistle on others’ wrongdoing.

The state has withheld tens of thousands of dollars from Alpena County over the billing questions at the base.

News staff writer Cyrstal Nelson contributed to this report.