FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NEWS RELEASE
August 31, 2018
Steve Marshall
For More Information, contact:
Mike Lewis (334) 353-2199
Alabama Attorney General
Joy Patterson (334) 242-7491
Page 1 of 1
AG Steve Marshall Announces Indictment of Chambers County Woman
for Six Counts of Attempted Extortion of Former District Judge
(MONTGOMERY)–Attorney General Steve Marshall announced the indictment* of
a Chambers County woman for six counts of attempted extortion in the first degree of a
former local district judge. Dorothy Sledge, 62, of Valley, was served notice at the Chambers
County Jail where she has been incarcerated since her bond for a previous case was revoked
for obtaining these new charges.
Attorney General Marshall’s Criminal Trials Division presented evidence to a
Chambers County grand jury, resulting in Sledge’s indictment on August 31. Specifically,
the indictment charges her with six counts of attempted extortion in the first degree for
sending six separate letters threatening former District Judge Joel Holley.
Sledge was previously arrested July 6, 2018, on warrants* for these indicted charges
that she obtained while released on bond for a previous charge of arson in the second-
degree. In that case, Dorothy Sledge is accused of intentionally setting fire to her home in
an effort to unlawfully obtain insurance proceeds. Sledge was indicted for the arson charge
in February 2018 and the case is currently pending in the Chambers County Circuit Court.
The arson case occurred after her husband. Roland Sledge, 65, a former district attorney
was indicted* for two counts of theft of property in the first-degree for allegedly taking
funds from the bank account of a minor for whom he was appointed as conservator. Both
Roland and Dorothy Sledge’s pending cases are set for a status hearing before Circuit Judge
Tom Young on September 13, 2018.
No further information about the investigation or about the defendants’ alleged
crimes other than that stated in the indictments or warrants may be released at this time.
If convicted, Dorothy Sledge faces a maximum penalty of one to 10 years for each of
the six counts of attempted extortion in the first degree, a class C felony, as well as two to 20
years for the charge of arson in the second-degree, a class B felony. Roland Sledge faces a
potential penalty of two to 20 years for each of his charges of theft of property in the first
degree, which is a class B felony.
*An indictment or warrant is merely an accusation. Defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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501 Washington Avenue * Montgomery, AL 36104 * (334) 242-7300
www.ago.state.al.us
