FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NEWS RELEASE
January 13, 2014
For More Information, contact:
Luther Strange
Joy Patterson (334) 242-7491
Alabama Attorney General
Claire Haynes (334) 242-7351
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AG STRANGE ANNOUNCES GUILTY PLEA, SENTENCING OF
FORMER MARSHALL COUNTY REVENUE COMMISSIONER
(MONTGOMERY) – Attorney General Luther Strange announced the conviction and
sentencing today of former Marshall County Revenue Commissioner Joey Masters on a
charge of violating the state ethics law. Masters was sentenced this morning in Marshall
County District Court to 12 months in the Marshall County Jail, which was suspended for
a term of two years of supervised probation. In addition, he was ordered to pay a $1,000
fine, a $100 fee to the Alabama Crime Victims Compensation Commission, and to perform
200 hours of community service.
Masters was arrested on November 6, 2013, pursuant to a warrant brought by the
Attorney General’s Special Prosecutions Division. Later that day, he submitted his
resignation as Revenue Commissioner.
In a plea agreement filed today, Masters pleaded guilty to violating the ethics law
by using his official position for personal gain. In the hearing, the prosecutor stated that
the plea involved Masters’ taking money from a cashbox in the Revenue Commissioner’s
Office for his personal use. Specifically, three dates in September and November of 2012
where $740 was used were referenced as examples of this. Evidence indicated that Masters
returned the money afterward. Masters admitted that he had done this on several
occasions. The plea agreement states that there is no restitution due and that it “resolves
all matters now currently under investigation by the Attorney General’s Office based on
information known at this time.”
Attorney General Strange commended Assistant Attorney General Bill Lisenby and
Special Agents of his Special Prosecutions Division for their work in this case. “This
matter was thoroughly investigated by my Special Prosecutions Division, resulting in
charges against the defendant for the crime that he committed,” said Attorney General
Strange. “This defendant did not have the right to use public funds for his personal use,
regardless of whether he paid it back. This was an abuse of the public trust and it is
appropriate that he no longer is in office and that he is being held to account for his
crime.”
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501 Washington Avenue * Montgomery, AL 36104 * (334) 242-7300
www.ago.state.al.us
