By Hannah Lester
hlester@opelikaobserver.com
Lee County District Attorney Brandon Hughes was arrested in Montgomery County Monday for an additional count of perjury after his arrest in Lee County Sunday.
“[Hughes] was booked in Montgomery County based on a complaint filed by the Attorney General’s Office charging him with first-degree perjury for allegedly giving false testimony to the Alabama Ethics Commission,” according to a press release from the Alabama Attorney General’s office.
Hughes, if convicted, could face one year and a day to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $15,000.
Hughes turned himself into the Lee County Sheriff’s Office Sunday night after being indicted with seven charges.
A release from the Alabama Attorney General’s Office this morning confirmed Hughes was indicted on Nov. 6 on ethics, theft and perjury charges.
“Hughes was indicted on five counts of violating the state ethics act for using his office for personal gain, including paying private attorneys with public funds to settle a matter that benefited himself and his wife,” the release said. “Hughes was also charged with the illegal hiring of his three children to work for the Lee County District Attorney’s Office. Finally, Hughes was charged with illegally using the authority of his office for his personal benefit by issuing a district attorney’s subpoena to a private business to gather evidence for his defense to potential criminal charges.”
Additionally, Hughes was charged with conspiring to steal a pickup truck from Chambers County, the release said.
“Finally, Hughes was charged with illegally using the authority of his office for his personal benefit by issuing a district attorney’s subpoena to a private business to gather evidence for his defense to potential criminal charges,” the release said.
Hughes was also charged with first-degree perjury, “for providing false testimony under oath to the special grand jury.”
The five ethics charities are punishable by two to 20 years in prison and a fine as large as $30,000, the release said. The first-degree theft and first-degree perjury are each punishable by one year and one day to 10 years in prison and a fine as large as $15,000.
Both this case and and his arrest in Montgomery will be prosecuted by Assistant Chief Deputy Attorney General Clark Morris along with Assistant Attorney General Jasper Roberts, Special Prosecutions Division.