An Alabama sheriff is under fire after details came to light about him pocketing tens of thousands of dollars that were allocated for feeding inmates in the county.
Sheriff Todd Entrekin presides over Etowah County, about 50 miles northeast of Birmingham. In September, he and his wife bought a four-bedroom home with swimming pool and canal access in Orange Beach, a popular town on the state's Gulf Coast. The couple paid $740,000 for the property, and along with several other homes, the Entrekin owned property was valued at over $1.7 million.
Questions have naturally arisen, considering the sheriff only pulls in a five-figure salary. It turns out he's been greatly supplementing his salary by taking money meant to feed prisoners. Ethics disclosure forms filed by the sheriff with the state revealed that he's pocketed more than $750,000 of "compensation" over the last three years from a source he labeled on the forms "Food Provisions."
However, Entrekin contends that he hasn't done anything illegal, and indeed, many sheriffs in the state argue that a law passed before WWII gives them permission to keep excess funds for themselves, as long as "adequate meals" are provided.
"In regards to feeding of inmates, we utilize a registered dietitian to ensure adequate meals are provided daily," Entrekin told AL.com in an email Sunday.
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Source: al.com
