The 11th Judicial Circuit presiding Judge Gilbert P. Self was indicted by Attorney General Steve Marshall's office on Monday on 16 counts of using his office for personal gain or the gain of family members, one count of making a false representation to the office of Public Examiners of Public Accounts, and one count of perjury. Self turned himself in at the Lauderdale County Sheriff's Office on Monday.
According to the indictment, the illegal conduct allegedly occurred from April 2020 to February 2023. Self allegedly used over $50,000 of public funds to employ his son and make personal purchases such as a sofa, alcoholic beverages and eyeglasses.
He was further charged with using his office to reimburse himself with public funds for various vacations, including a ski trip to Montana, a beach trip, a cycling trip across three states, and a trip to St. Ignace, Michigan.
The indictment also charged him with paying himself out of public funds for travel to events he did not attend in Reno, Nevada; Duck Key, Florida; Mackinac Island, Michigan; and Alabama. The indictment further accused Self of double-dipping for per diem and mileage and making false representations to the Examiners of Public Accounts during an audit. Lastly, the indictment charged Self with making a false statement while sworn under oath before the Lauderdale County Grand Jury in January.
The Attorney General's Special Prosecutions Division obtained an indictment of Self after an investigation stemming from the audit conducted by the Department of Examiners of Public Accounts into the Lauderdale County Presiding Judge's Judicial Administration Fund and the Law Library Fund.
If convicted, Self faces a maximum penalty of 20 years of imprisonment and a $30,000 fine for each of the sixteen charges for violating the ethics law, which are class B felonies, and up to 10 years of imprisonment and a $15,000 fine for making a false statement to the Examiners and for perjury, which are class C felonies.
To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email Bradley.cox@1819news.com.
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