From The Tribune staff reports
MONTGOMERY — Attorney General Steve Marshall announced on Tuesday, Dec. 20, the indictment and arrest of former Jefferson County Constable and Trussville native on two ethics charges and three tax charges.
According to Attorney General Steve Marshall’s office, Jonathan Barbee, 43, of Trussville, was elected as Constable of Jefferson County’s 48th District in 2016. The Attorney General’s Special Prosecutions Division obtained an indictment of Barbee after conducting a joint investigation with the Alabama Department of Revenue.
“The first two counts of the indictment charge Barbee with using his position or office to pay his wife and his father for traffic control or cause them to be paid for traffic control through the Constable Office bank account,” Attorney General Steve Marshall’s office stated. “The remaining three counts charge that Jonathan Barbee willfully attempted to evade or defeat state income taxes. Each count for tax evasion covers a separate tax year from 2018 to 2020.”
Attorney General Steve Marshall’s office stated that if convicted, Barbee faces a maximum penalty of up to 20 years imprisonment and a $30,000 fine for each of the two ethics charges. In addition, he faces a maximum penalty of up to 5 years imprisonment and a $100,000 fine for each of the three tax charges.
An indictment is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.