Gambling Debt Led Alabama Sheriff to Falsify Loan Applications, Feds Reveal

An ex-Alabama sheriff pleaded hangdog Monday to a crime linked to loans he claimed were needful to pay off for office staff expenses. But some of the loan requests went to cover his personal gambling debt, prosecutors claimed.

William “Ray” Norris, 44, who was Clarke County Sheriff, pleaded hangdog to making a sour financial statement to a federally insured institution, according to word reports. Other counts were dismissed earlier.

Faces $1M Fine, Decades inwards Prison

If convicted, Frank Norris could be sentenced for upward to 30 years inwards prison. He also faces a mulct of upward to $1 million. If incarcerated, after vent from prison he could be placed on supervised free for tierce years.

Officially, Norris said the money was for power expenses and for intellectual nourishment for prisoners. But the money went to address his have play debt, overdrawn personal accounts, and other personal expenses, an bill of indictment revealed, AL.com, an Camellia State regional word site, reported.

After word of the allegations surfaced, he stepped cut down from his sheriff’s job inward June 2021. He was indicted initially on several counts and in that location was a relocation to impeach him.

But impeachment proceedings past Alabama River Attorney General Steve Marshall’s business office stopped after Frank Norris resigned.

The indictment came after Benjamin Franklin Norris Jr. applied for quartet loans at two AL banks 'tween 2017 and 2018, AL.com said. The banks were identified as Town County National Bank in Camden and Henry Sweet Water State Bank in Henry Sweet Water.

Earlier this year, Norris and a former business organization partner also were indicted past the US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Alabama. Benjamin Franklin Norris Jr. had applied for to a greater extent than $192,000 at Town Country National Bank inward loans betwixt Nov 2017 and June 2020, officials said.

Norris also allegedly used component part of a $75,000 camber loan to pay $25,000 inward personal loans he took out at the bank, prosecutors said.

Prior Charges Dropped

Earlier, Norris also was indicted on Little Phoebe counts for unlawful utilize of cause contributions, violating the Fair Campaign Practices Act, apply of power for personal gain, violating the Statement of Economic Interest disclosure requirements, and income revenue enhancement evasion, Alabama Today, a local intelligence site reported.

But those counts were dismissed inward March past Alabama River Judge Braxton Kittrell. He explained Norris had agreed to reconcile from the sheriff’s brand and a plea correspondence kept him from being prosecuted another clip for allegations spell he was a sheriff, Alabama Today said.

In a financial statement shoemaker's last year, John Marshall said the public must live capable to trustfulness elected officials, especially practice of law enforcement leaders.

Sheriff Frank Norris could no longer be trusted as a public servant or as a law of nature enforcement official, and his resignation should follow a welcome ease to the public,” George Marshall added inwards the statement. “Sheriff Norris’ conclusion to reconcile from office, however, does not foreclose the possibleness that felon charges testament live filed against him.”

A sentencing auditory modality has yet to follow scheduled on the single charge. Benjamin Franklin Norris Jr. is not inwards custody piece ready and waiting(p) for his sentencing.