From The Trussville Tribune staff reports
MONTGOMERY — A former clerk for the town of Pisgah in Jackson County has received a felony ethics conviction after pleading guilty to intentionally using her official position to steal $62,254 from the town of Pisgah.
According to State Attorney General Steve Marshall, Jennifer Lynne Hall was sentenced in Jackson County Circuit Court to 12 years, of which the first 10 years is to be served on supervised probation with the requirement that she make monthly payments of $535 in restitution. If Hall fails to pay off the full balance of restitution owed after 10 years, she must serve a two-year split sentence in the Department of Corrections. In addition, if Hall violates the terms of her probation (including by failing to make a monthly restitution payment), the circuit court may revoke Hall’s probation. The plea agreement also requires that Hall resign her public employment with the city of Henagar in DeKalb County, where she was a magistrate, and prohibits her from seeking or accepting any position with a state, county or local governmental body while she is on supervised probation.
Hall’s conviction arises from her former position as the clerk of the town of Pisgah. As part of her guilty plea, Hall admitted that she used her position and authority as town clerk to pay herself extra paychecks for compensatory time that she did not earn, accrue or have approved by her supervisor. Hall also admitted to manipulating the town’s health insurance payments to force the town to pay for her family’s health insurance coverage, costing the town $13,063.
“The people of Alabama deserve to have confidence that their local government employees perform their jobs with honesty and integrity,” Marshall said. “I am pleased that this defendant’s breach of the public trust will be punished, and that the Town of Pisgah will receive restitution for its loss. Our citizens can be assured that the Attorney General’s Office will be vigilant in pursing those who violate Alabama’s ethics laws.”
Marshall thanked the leadership of the town of Pisgah for its assistance in this case. He commended Assistant Attorneys General Kyle Beckman and Jasper Roberts, as well as special agents of the Attorney General’s Special Prosecutions Division, for their outstanding work to achieve this conviction and sentence.
