Walker County Sheriff and Chief Deputy Face Charges Over Unaccredited Personnel

Walker Co, AL. (BuzzReport) – Walker County Sheriff Nick Smith and his second-in-command, Chief Deputy Ralph Williams, have been arrested and indicted by a grand jury on charges related to employing personnel without the required certification.

According to the indictment, Smith faces six counts of knowingly employing six individuals, including school resource officers and a jailer, who lacked certification from the Alabama Peace Officers’ Standards and Training Commission (APOSTC). Williams has been indicted on one count of knowingly employing a deputy without the necessary certification.

The indictment specifically mentions the employment of Andrew Neves-McDonald as a deputy, despite his law enforcement certification in Arizona being suspended due to misconduct. Neves-McDonald is also listed on the National Decertification Index. Other individuals named in the indictment include Danny Alexander, Jeffrey Sparks, Sam Bennett, Gregory Harrison, and Justin Kelley, who were allegedly allowed to work in roles without proper certification.

Sheriff Smith turned himself in on June 9. Despite the charges, legal expert Roger Appell suggests that Smith and Williams may not face significant consequences, as the charges are classified as misdemeanors carrying only fines, with no jail time. Appell noted that the maximum fine for each count would be $1,000, and the officials can continue to serve in their positions while the cases proceed through the court system.

This story is ongoing and will be updated as more information becomes available.