Davis case could expand
Published 12:04 am Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Former Lockhart Police chief and ex-sheriff candidate John Davis could face new charges after his case is presented at a grand jury cycle, an ACJIC spokesperson said Monday.
Lynn Childs, public information manager for the Alabama Criminal Justice Information Center (ACJIC), said Davis turned himself into an ACJIC agent at the Florala Police Department Friday and was taken into custody on three counts of obtaining criminal offender record information under false pretenses, and one count of violating the Alabama Ethics law by using his official position or office for personal gain. He was released later that afternoon from the Covington County Jail on a $100,000 bond.
“Three of the warrants allege that Davis willfully obtained or sought to obtain criminal offender record information by accessing the Law Enforcement Tactical System (LETS) under false pretenses that it was for an official law enforcement or criminal justice purpose,” Childs said. “The fourth is an ethics violation (that) alleges he used his official position or office for personal gain.
“The Alabama Attorney General’s Office will present evidence to a Covington County grand jury alleging that Davis used the LETS system to access confidential law enforcement information in exchange for monetary gain,” she said.
If convicted, Davis could face up to 20 years imprisonment and fines of between $5,000 and $30,000.
Childs said the Covington County District Court also took into consideration the fact that Davis was in the process of moving out of state when setting his bond.
The case continues to be investigated by ACJIC agents and will be prosecuted by the Alabama Attorney General’s Public Corruption and White Collar Crime Division.