Another Georgia Sheriff Sentenced for Corruption
Former Telfair County Georgia Sheriff, Jimmie Williamson, was sentenced late last week in federal court to 3 years in prison following his plea earlier this year to honest services mail fraud. Williamson pled guilty to embezzling fine and bond money paid by criminal defendants, accepting bribes in exchange for reduced charges from criminal defendants and purchasing items for his own personal use with Sheriff’s Department funds.
The Macon Telegraph has the story here.
Williamson is the second Telfair County Sheriff to enter a guilty plea to federal charges in the past 2 decades. In the mid-1990s, former Sheriff, Ronnie Walker, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for his role in aiding marijuana growers in his county.
The government was represented by an extremely capable young attorney who came to the Southern District of Georgia from Latham & Watkins, Brian Tanner. The Telegraph reports that Tanner argued that the Sheriff had committed a "monumental breach of trust."
