FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NEWS RELEASE
August 14, 2012
For More Information, contact:
Luther Strange
Joy Patterson (334) 242-7491
Alabama Attorney General
Suzanne Webb (334) 242-7351
Page 1 of 2
AG ANNOUNCES GUILTY PLEA FOR CLEMENTS IN “TWO-
YEAR COLLEGE CORRUPTION CASE”
(MONTGOMERY) – Attorney General Luther Strange today announced the
conviction of Jimmie Clements to Theft of Property in the First Degree. Mr. Clements
received a 15 year suspended sentence with 5 years probation. He will pay $256,000 in
restitution to the State of Alabama within 90 days from today as well as court costs, and
$100.00 to the Victim’s Compensation Fund. As part of the plea agreement, the
companion case against Dana Clements was dismissed.
In December of 2009, Mr. Clements and his wife Dana Clements, were each
charged with 2 counts of first degree theft and were released from the Lee County Jail
on $20,000 bail each, according to jail records. At today’s plea, the State offered to the
Court the following explanation of the crime:
“In June 1996, DC & Associates was designated as the ‘exclusive agent’ for
Southern Union State Community College (“SUSCC”) regarding Business and
Industry. Jimmie Clements was President of DC & Associates. In 1996, Jimmie
Clements, on behalf of DC & Associates, signed an agreement with Michelin North
America, Inc. (“Michelin”) wherein Michelin would pay $3,000.00 per month to lease
the Industry Training Center on the SUSCC campus. Michelin paid lease payments to
DC & Associates which was money that belonged to the State of Alabama. DC &
Associates did not give the money to the State.
“In April 2002, Jimmie Clements, on behalf of DC & Associates, and Centec, Inc.
(“Centec”) reached a similar agreement for $4,000.00 per month to lease the same
building which supplanted the Michelin contract. DC & Associates did not turn over
the money to the State of Alabama.
“Jimmie Clements knowingly obtained or exerted unauthorized control over
$256,000.00 from these two contracts which belonged to the State of Alabama in Lee
County, Alabama.”
“This case is an example of a complete violation of the public trust. The people of
our state expect those who steal the public’s money to be prosecuted and made to
return their ill-gotten gains. I am glad to see Mr. Clements finally brought to justice.”
501 Washington Avenue * Montgomery, AL 36104 * (334) 242-7300
www.ago.alabama.gov Page 2 of 2
Attorney General Strange commended those who handled this case, noting in
particular Assistant Attorney General Bill Lisenby of the of the Attorney General’s
Special Prosecutions Division, Assistant Attorney General Stephanie Billingslea of the
Attorney General’s Criminal Trials Division, District Attorney Richard Minor of the 30th
Judicial Circuit, District Attorney Robert Treese of the 37th Judicial Circuit, and Special
Agents of the Attorney General’s Investigations Division.
