A former Jefferson County constable has been accused of evading taxes and using his position to pay family members.
Jonathan Barbee, 43, of Trussville, was indicted Tuesday on two ethics and three tax charges.
Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall said Barbee was arrested after a joint investigation with the AG’s Special Prosecutions Division and the Alabama Department of Revenue.
“The first two counts of the indictment charge Jonathan Barbee with using his position or office to pay his wife and his father for traffic control, or cause them to be paid for traffic control, through the Constable Office bank account,” Marshall said in a press release. “The remaining three counts charge that Jonathan Barbee willfully attempted to evade or defeat state income taxes. Each count for tax evasion covers a separate tax year from 2018 to 2020.”
Barbee was a Jefferson County constable for District 48 and no stranger to Alabama politics. He once served as the press secretary for the Alabama Republican Party, and he has run for multiple offices, including the Public Service Commission and the Jefferson County Tax Assessor.
Barbee owns Barbee Media Group, a video production company that produces campaign commercials and promotional videos. He is also the executive producer for Alabama Political Reporter’s “The Voice of Alabama Politics,” also known as “The V.”
If he is found guilty of the ethics charges, Barbee could spend up to 20 years in prison and be fined $30,000 per charge. If found guilty of the tax charges, he would face up to five years in prison and be fined $100,000 per charge.
Barbee is considered innocent until proven guilty.
To connect with the author of this story, or to comment, email erica.thomas@1819news.com.
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