The Cullman County Sheriff's Office has taken over law enforcement duties for the City of Hanceville after the police chief, four officers and an officer's wife were charged in a corruption case. All police department employees have been placed on administrative leave.
The operations are expected to be temporary, and the Hanceville City Council will meet on February 27 at 5 p.m. to address the situation.
The announcement came Thursday, one day after the District Attorney's Office revealed grand jury indictments recommending the police department be disbanded. An investigation found evidence the department has been operating as a criminal enterprise.
The grand jury found that a lack of leadership, oversight, and negligent training and hiring have led to the allowance of crimes.
DA Champ Crocker said one of the most concerning things discovered during the investigation was that the evidence room was not secured. That is what led to the death of dispatcher Christopher Michael Willingham, who was found dead in his office last August, Crocker said. The coroner's office determined Willingham died of "combined toxic effects of fentanyl, gabapentin, diazepam, amphetamine, carisoprodol, and methocarbamol."
Unsecured evidence could also hinder the prosecution of other cases. State officials will now audit the evidence room.
Cody Alan Kelso is charged with two counts of computer tampering, solicitation to commit a controlled substance crime, use of office for personal gain and tampering with physical evidence.
Jason Scott Wilbanks is charged with two counts of computer tampering, two counts of use of office for personal gain, tampering with physical evidence and two counts of solicitation to commit a controlled substance crime.
Jason Shane Marlin, the police chief, is charged with two counts of failure to report ethics crime and tampering with physical evidence.
William Andrew Shelnutt is charged with tampering with physical evidence.
Eric Michael Kelso is charged with four counts of unlawful distribution of a controlled substance and two counts of conspiracy to unlawfully distribute a controlled substance.
Donna Reid Kelso is charged with two counts of unlawful distribution of a controlled substance and two counts of conspiracy to unlawfully distribute a controlled substance.
"There is a rampant culture of corruption in the Hanceville Police Department, which has recently operated as more of a criminal enterprise than a law enforcement agency," the grand jury found.
Inmates in the Hanceville Jail will be transferred to the Cullman County Jail.
To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email erica.thomas@1819news.com.
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