Former Small Town Mayor In Alabama Indicted on Misdemeanor Charges of Misuse of Office

Oakman, AL (BuzzReport)– A former mayor of the small Alabama town of Oakman faces misdemeanor charges following an indictment by a Walker County grand jury. Cory Kwan Franks, 40, stands accused of two counts of using his former public office for personal gain, according to court documents made public on Monday.

The indictment, issued on November 13, outlines specific allegations stemming from Franks’ tenure as mayor. Franks, who served in the town’s top elected position until his defeat in a re-election bid in August, is also a current Walker County sheriff’s deputy.

One primary allegation details Franks’s purported authorization for his daughter to access and utilize a 2012 BMW 528i, an vehicle officially owned by the town of Oakman. Further allegations claim Franks wrongfully obtained a financial benefit from the town, involving all or a portion of a $1,748.59 check drawn from the town’s municipal account.

The Alabama Attorney General’s Office conducted the investigation into these matters. Following the public revelation of the charges, Franks was processed at the Walker County Jail on Monday. He was subsequently released from custody on his own recognizance, without requiring a bail payment.