An announcement was made on Monday by the state’s attorney general, stating that an Alabama state judge has been arrested and charged with using taxpayer money for personal purchases and vacations.
Circuit Judge Gilbert Self, a 61-year-old resident of Florence, Alabama, is currently facing a total of 16 charges. These charges include allegations of using his position as a public official for personal gain, as well as charges of making false statements to accountants and committing perjury. The charges were brought against Judge Self by Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall.
According to a statement from the attorney general, the presiding judge of the Eleventh Judicial Circuit in the state of Alabama, Self, has surrendered to authorities at the Lauderdale County Sheriff’s Office.
According to Sheriff Joe Hamilton, the judge was released after he posted bonds amounting to $75,000.
According to Marshall, Self was arrested following an indictment related to the investigation into the misuse of funds in Lauderdale County’s judicial administration and law library.
According to the indictment, Self is accused of engaging in illegal activities from April 2020 to February 2023. During this time, he allegedly misused over $50,000 of public funds by employing his son and making personal purchases, including a sofa, alcoholic beverages, and eyeglasses.
He is facing accusations of using public funds to reimburse himself for various vacations, including a ski trip to Montana, a beach trip, a cycling trip across three states, and a visit to St. Ignace, Mich.
According to Marshall, the judge also allegedly reimbursed himself for travel expenses for events he never actually attended in Reno, Nev., Duck Key, Fla., Mackinac Island, Mich., and Alabama.
Self is facing accusations of making a false statement during their testimony before the grand jury earlier this month.
If he is found guilty, he could be sentenced to a maximum of 20 years in prison and a $30,000 fine for each of the 16 ethics charges. In addition, he may face up to 10 years in prison and a $15,000 fine for the false statements and perjury counts, according to Marshall.
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