Alabama Cop Arrested
On Felony Charges
May
3, 2012
A
Brewton Police officer has been arrested on one felony count of obtaining a
criminal record under false pretenses and one felony count for violating
Alabama’s ethics law, according to Escambia County (Ala.) District Attorney
Stephen Billy. Eddie Laffon Barton, III, 37, was arrested by agents from the
Alabama Criminal Justice Information Center after being indicted by an Escambia
County (Ala.) grand jury. The indictment charged that Barton intentionally
misused his public position for unlawful personal gain and that he misused
confidential law enforcement data by willfully accessing confidential private
information about an individual that was unrelated to any official law
enforcement duty.
The
indictment was based on evidence presented to the grand jury on April 27 by the
Escambia County (Ala.) District Attorney’s office. Barton was arrested at his
residence Tuesday, May 1 and booked into the Escambia County Jail. He later was
released on a $25,000 bond, according to information released Wednesday.
If
convicted, Barton faces a penalty of 2-20 years imprisonment for the ethics law
violation and up to five years imprisonment for the misuse of confidential law
enforcement data.
Further
information has not been released. The case was investigated by special agents
of the Alabama Criminal Justice Information Center and is being prosecuted by
the Escambia County (Ala.) District Attorney’s Office.
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