| UPDATE - Resigned Clay County Sheriff Miles Slack, 47, admitted in federal court Tuesday that he hacked his wife's state controlled work computer in order to obtain email passwords and chat room conversations.
Slack plead guilty to one count of interception and disclosure of wire or oral communications and faces up to five years in prison when U.S. District Judge John Copenhaver sentences him on Dec. 19.
Slack and his wife divorced on May 3.
Secured computers in the offices of circuit judges and magistrates in West Virginia are owned and maintained by the WV Supreme Court.
Slack said he only wanted Lisa Slack's personal information, but his action of installing a keystroke device was a violation.
Slack is released on $10,000 bail until his sentencing.
UPDATE - The Clay County commission Monday has appointed an interim sheriff, the current sheriff Miles Slack having resigned from his post amid a federal investigation.
The commissioners have appointed Reva Schoonover, currently chief tax deputy, as the temporary sheriff, who will serve about 30 days will until a permanent sheriff is named until the next election cycle.
The commission told media they have 16 candidates for sheriff, saying they will narrow the list down and begin interviews with the person being named later this month.
UPDATE - Clay County Sheriff Miles Slack has presented his resignation.
The Clay Commission will hold a special meeting Monday to appoint a replacement.
ORIGINAL STORY - Clay County sheriff Miles Slack will appear in federal court on Sept. 17, but before that happens he will likely resign.
Slack is charged with hacking his former wife's work computer in a Clay magistrate office, a computer under the jurisdiction of the WV Supreme Court.
"It will be hard to replace him but I'm glad that we have some people that are qualified," said Mike Pierson, president of the Clay County Commission.
Prosecutors say Slack secretly installed a keystroke logger on the secure computer, a federal offense.
The commission has received 16 applications for the job.
"We are looking for law enforcement experience. We're looking for someone that could get along with the people, that could pick up and step in," said Pierson.
Despite his offense, local officials say Slack is still highly regarded in the community.
In the 2012 Democrat primaries, Slack won nearly 78 percent of the vote. In the general election, he ran unopposed.
Under state law, the commission has 30 days once Slack resigns to fill the vacancy. Commissioners said they will narrow down the list, conduct interviews and then choose the new sheriff.
Slack's replacement will serve until Nov. 2014 when the post is up for re-election. | 
