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18-Month Prison Sentence for Former Alabama Sheriff in Food Bank Scam
Loaded on March 4, 2020
by David M. Reutter
published in Prison Legal News
March, 2020, page 58
Filed under:
Misconduct/Corruption.
Location:
Alabama.
by David M. Reutter
The former sheriff of Alabama’s Pickens County was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison for a scam to defraud a food bank and his church, and pocketing leftover funds to feed detainees.
David Abston was sheriff for 32 years. As allowed by …
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More from this issue:
- News in Brief
- Public Relations Firm Terminates Contract With GEO Group, by Scott Grammer
- PLN Awarded Injunction in Arizona Prison Censorship Suit, by David M. Reutter
- $10 Million Post-Appeal Settlement in Oklahoma Jail Prisoner Death Suit, by Matthew Clarke
- $850,000 Settlement in Florida DOC Prisoner’s Gassing Murder, by David M. Reutter
- Get Celebrity Endorsement and Get Pardoned, by Douglas Ankney
- 18-Month Prison Sentence for Former Alabama Sheriff in Food Bank Scam, by David M. Reutter
- Court Holds Federal Tort Claim Against BOP Can Proceed in MCC Beating Death, by Kevin Bliss
- Sacramento County Jail Settles Solitary Confinement Class Action Suit, by Scott Grammer
- Santa Rita Sheriff’s Office Says Prisoners Not Being Maltreated; Prisoners’ Protest Says Otherwise, by Kevin Bliss
- Most States Saw Criminal Justice Reforms in 2019, But Incarceration Rates Remain High, by Victoria Law
- $250,000 Settlement in Assault Upon Luzerne County Detainee, by David M. Reutter
- $550,000 Settlement in Nationwide Class-Action Lawsuit Over High-Fee Debit Cards, by Matthew Clarke
- $300,000 Settlement in Lincoln County Missouri Jail Attempted Suicide Suit, by Chad Marks
- Report Decries Ongoing Inadequate Medical Care for Pregnant Arizona Prisoners, by Matthew Clarke
- Veteran Dies After Beating by Guards at North Carolina Jail, by David M. Reutter
- Senator Warren Has Plan To Ban Private Prison Contracts, by Scott Grammer
- Fulton County Ordered to Clean Up Repulsive Jail Conditions for Mentally Ill Women, by David M. Reutter
- Florida Prison Isolation Suit Survives Dismissal Stage, by David M. Reutter
- Alabama Jail Guards Face Liability for Inaction to Methadone Withdrawal Symptoms, by David M. Reutter
- Riots At South Carolina Prison Spark Wave of Lawsuits, by David M. Reutter
- $12.6 Million Jury Award for Man Denied Medical Care Before Jailed, by David M. Reutter
- “Free” E-Tablets Are Anything But, by Edward Lyon
- Federal Prisoner to Receive Opioid Addiction Medication While Incarcerated, by Kevin Bliss
- Cook County Jail’s Three Book Possession Policy Constitutional, by David M. Reutter
- $150,000 Settlement for Opioid Withdrawal Death in Indiana County Jail, by Anthony W. Accurso
- Michigan Finding Success With More Humane Treatment of Mentally Ill Prisoners, by David M. Reutter
- Court Confirms Pennsylvania Prisoner’s Sentence in Tobacco Contraband Case, by David M. Reutter
- Suicide or Murder? Jeffrey Epstein’s Death Still Drawing Attention to Bureau Inadequacies, by Anthony Accurso
- Long-running Maricopa County, Arizona Jail Lawsuit Ends, by Edward Lyon
- Seventh Circuit Upholds Prison Guard’s Rape Convictions, But County Not Liable, by Scott Grammer
- Report Published on Louisiana’s Extensive Use Of Solitary Confinement, by Scott Grammer
- Guard Who Failed to Prevent Escape Entitled to Qualified Immunity, by David M. Reutter
- States Rush to End Prison Gerrymandering Before Districts Are Set For Another 10 years, by Aleks Kajstura
- Court Grants Bail to Ex-Peruvian President Challenging Extradition Due to Solitary Confinement, by Dale Chappell
- California: Qualified Attorney Work-Product Protection Applies to Discovery During Habeas Proceedings, by Douglas Ankney
- Oklahoma Commutations Largest Mass Release in U.S. History, by Kevin Bliss
- States Move for True Second Chance Opportunities, by Kevin Bliss
- Death Highlights Need for Change in Texas GEO-Run Prison, by Kevin Bliss
- Seventh Circuit Upholds Denial of Wisconsin Prisoner’s Request to Marry Psychologist, by Edward Lyon
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- Hawaii Prisoners Rebel Over Prison Conditions, Fined For Damages, by Kevin Bliss
- $200,000 Settlement in Lawsuit Over Louisiana Jail Guard Sexually Abusing Juvenile, by David M. Reutter
- Pennsylvania GEO-Run Jail Boss Resigns After Media Reveals Complaints of Racism, Abuse at Private Prison, by David M. Reutter
- Louisiana Sheriff Re-Elected Despite Prisoner Death Toll, by Jayson Hawkins
- Major Prison Health Care Companies Funnel Campaign Contributions to Sheriffs, Get Rewards, by David M. Reutter
- $2.5 Million Settlement Over Prisoner’s Restraint Death in Houston, Texas Jail, by Matthew Clarke
- Neither Fines Nor Lawsuits Deter Corizon From Delivering Substandard Health Care, by Matthew Clarke
- $1.15 Million Settlement in Pennsylvania Prisoner’s Asthma Death, by David M. Reutter
- It’s Time For the Feds To Fund College Education For Prisoners, Again, by Anthony W. Accurso
- Oregon Lawmakers Prohibit Prison and Jail Telephone Kickbacks, by Mark Wilson
- Biden’s Current Prison Reform Stance Counter to His Abysmal Record, by David M. Reutter
- From the Editor, by Paul Wright
- Lethal Prison Electric Fences May Violate International Law, by Matthew Clarke
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More from David M. Reutter:
- Class Action Certified in Lawsuit Alleging Raw Sewage Presence in Washington Jail, Oct. 1, 2026
- South Carolina Supreme Court Reverses Class Action Status in Prisoners’ Sexual Assault Lawsuit, Oct. 1, 2026
- Second Circuit Rules Eighth Amendment Governs Claims of Excessive Force Brought by Parole Violator, Oct. 1, 2026
- Sixth Circuit: Qualified Immunity Granted to Guard in Delayed Treatment for Prisoner who Suffered Heart Attack, Oct. 1, 2026
- New Mexico Supreme Court Announces Reasons-for-Delay Analysis Must Assess State’s Own Responsibility Rather Than Compare Parties’ Delay and Abrogates Precedent Employing Party-to-Party Offsets, Oct. 1, 2026
- Report Finds State Prison Systems Fail to Provide Adequate Assistance to Obtain Release Documentation, Oct. 1, 2026
- Eleventh Circuit Affirms Refusal to Expand Bivens to Claim Alleging Federal Prisoner Died from Denial of Treatment for Hepatitis C, Oct. 1, 2026
- Ninth Circuit Reverses Dismissal of Prisoner’s ADA Complaint Alleging Denial of Toileting and Hygiene Services, Oct. 1, 2026
- Virginia Report Finds Deaths Increasing as Prison Population Ages, Oct. 1, 2026
- Sixth Circuit Holds Kentucky Deficient-Counsel Belated-Appeal Procedure Tolls Federal Habeas One-Year Limitations Period, Sept. 1, 2026
More from these topics:
- ICE Stops Reporting Deaths of Recently Released Detainees, July 1, 2026. Misconduct/Corruption, Medical, Conditions of Confinement, Immigration Law/Offenses, Civil Rights Actions or Offenses/Bivens Actions.
- New York Governor Appoints Ex-Prisoner to State Oversight Role, July 1, 2026. Classification, Misconduct/Corruption, Conditions of Confinement, Prison Legal News documents, Prisoners' Rights.
- $3.25 Million Verdict in New York Against Jail Medical Profiteer Armor Health, July 1, 2026. Private Prisons, Misconduct/Corruption, Medical, Conditions of Confinement, Civil Rights Actions or Offenses/Bivens Actions.
- Federal Conviction, Guilty Pleas for Jail Guards Responsible for Oklahoma Detainee’s Death, July 1, 2026. Misconduct/Corruption, Medical, Conditions of Confinement, Excessive Force, Civil Rights Actions or Offenses/Bivens Actions.
- FCC Releases Final Version of Order Gutting 2024 Phone Cap Regulations, Feb. 1, 2026. Misconduct/Corruption, Telephone Access, Telephone Rates.
- News in Brief, Aug. 1, 2025. Staff-Prisoner Assault, Private Prisons, Misconduct/Corruption, Guard Misconduct, Systemic Medical Neglect, Male Reproductive, Malpractice, Escapes, Guard Brutality/Beatings, Stun Guns/Tasers, Pepper Spray/Tear Gas, Restraints, Excessive Force (Wrongful Death), Juvenile Prisons, Bureau of Prisons (BOP), Bribery/Extortion/Theft.
- Sixth Circuit Order Sealing Records in Private Prison Shareholder Suit Vacated, Remanded, Aug. 1, 2025. Corrections Corporation of America/CoreCivic, Misconduct/Corruption, Public Records.
- Missouri Prison Nurse Sentenced to 12 Years for Poisoning Husband, Aug. 1, 2025. Misconduct/Corruption.
- News in Brief, Aug. 1, 2025. Assault by Police, Misconduct/Corruption, Guard Misconduct, Police Misconduct, Stun Guns/Tasers, Immigration, False Arrest, Evidence - Integrity/Reliability of.
- Trump’s “Border Czar” Was on GEO Group Payroll, July 15, 2025. GEO Group/Wackenhut, Misconduct/Corruption, Detention - Generally.

