FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NEWS RELEASE
April 14, 2011
For More Information, contact:
Luther Strange
Joy Patterson (334) 242-7491
Alabama Attorney General
Suzanne Webb (334) 242-7351
Lynn Childs (334) 517-2415
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AG STRANGE, ACJIC ANNOUNCE 2 CONVICTION OF FORMER
CONSERVATION OFFICER FOR MISUSE OF LAW ENFORCEMENT
INFORMATION; CONVICTIONS IN BALDWIN, TALLAPOOSA COUNTIES
(MONTGOMERY) – Attorney General Luther Strange announced that a former marine
police officer was convicted yesterday for a second time of crimes involving illegal misuse of
confidential law enforcement information. Noel Christopher Wood, 41, of Marbury, pleaded
guilty in Baldwin County Circuit Court, having previously pleaded guilty to a similar charge in
Tallapoosa County on March 8. He was formerly employed by the Alabama Department of
Conservation and Natural Resources.
Specifically, Wood admitted to willfully using the Alabama Law Enforcement Tactical
System (LETS) to access confidential private information about personal acquaintances that was
unrelated to any official law enforcement duty. For both of the felony counts to which he pleaded
guilty, he was sentenced to two years imprisonment, which was suspended for a term of two years
probation to be served, and ordered to pay court costs and $100 fines to the Alabama Crime
Victims Compensation Fund.
“Certain public employees may be entrusted with access to confidential criminal justice
information, which state law mandates is private and confidential to be used for official law
enforcement purposes only,” stated Attorney General Strange. “Those who betray this trust and
break the law to use this data for private and inappropriate purposes are committing a crime for
which they will be held to account.”
The case was investigated by the Alabama Criminal Justice Information Center (ACJIC), the
state agency that maintains the LETS system and other criminal justice data for the State of
Alabama. The Attorney General’s Public Corruption and White Collar Crime Division presented
evidence to a Tallapoosa County grand jury on January 6, 2010, and to a Baldwin County grand
jury on February 4, 2011, resulting in the indictments against Wood.
“It is a crime to use LETS for any purpose other than a legitimate law enforcement or
criminal justice purpose,” said Maury Mitchell, director of ACJIC. “Access to this data provided in
LETS is privileged and confidential. We will not hesitate to continue to investigate and recommend
prosecution for any person who unlawfully accesses or misuses this information.”
Attorney General Strange and ACJIC Director Maury Mitchell commended those involved
in bringing the case to a successful conclusion, noting in particular Assistant Attorneys General
Bill Lisenby and Thomas Govan, and special agents of the Alabama Criminal Justice Information
Center. They also thanked for valuable assistance the Gulf Coast Regional Task Force for the U.S.
Marshal’s Office and the Marine Police Division of the Alabama Department of Conservation and
Natural Resources.
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501 Washington Avenue Montgomery, AL 36104 (334) 242-7300
www.ago.state.al.us
