jerry craig

The office of former Madison County District 3 Commissioner Jerry Craig has been charged in a state audit with misusing more than $170,000 in public funds. (AL.com file photo)

MONTGOMERY, Alabama - A state audit released today said more than $170,000 in public funds were misused in District 3 of the Madison County Commission during the term of former commissioner Jerry Craig.

Craig, who did not seek re-election in 2012 after serving seven terms, and former employee Deborah K. Sims also failed to show for a meeting with auditors in February to argue against having to repay the money, the audit said.

Madison County District 3 Commissioner Eddie Sisk initiated the investigation after discovering issues in Craig's spending. (AL.com file photo)

Among the audit's findings was $70,000 in undocumented cash withdrawals from an ATM and $65,000 in undocumented expenditures from a bank account established for the county's annual fishing rodeo at Sharon Johnston Park in New Market.

Sims has been indicted by a Madison County grand jury on three counts of state ethics and theft charges. She turned herself into authorities on Wednesday. Sims husband, Alton Sims, received more than $8,000 in undocumented county money, the audit said.

Earlier this week, District 3 Commissioner Eddie Sisk, who succeeded Craig, said Alton Sims had been placed on paid leaving pending a personnel hearing.

No charges have been brought against Craig. Joy Patterson, spokeswoman for the state Attorney General's office, said earlier this week she could not comment on the possibility of more indictments being returned in the case.

Craig and Sims were not immediately available for comment.

The audit from the Alabama Department of Examiners of Public Accounts, in a special report to the commission, detailed an array of misuse of public funds dating back to 2005 under Craig's watch. Improprieties first came to light in December.



The audit determined that $176,770.74 in public money had been misused and the Chief Examiner Ronald Jones has found that Craig and Sims should reimburse the money to the county.

The audit's breakdown of the misuse of funds:

$65,408.06 in undocumented expenditures using the fishing rodeo bank account and debit card.

$16,903.34 in private work not deposited.

$11,520 in undocumented checks written to "cash."

$8,836 in undocumented checks written to employee Alton Sims, husband of indicted former employee Deborah Sims.

$1,543.14 in expenditures in which Craig was reimbursed by the city of New Hope.

$411.50 in ATM fees on undocumented cash withdrawals.

Soon after taking office in November 2012, Sisk noticed the possible misuse of funds and alerted the Madison County sheriff's department. The investigation grew to include the attorney general's office as well as the state ethics commission.

Sisk, a Republican, had harsh words for Craig, who served as a Democrat, earlier this week.

"I watch (the books) real closely, ever since I got here," Sisk said. "As long as the commissioner is doing his job, then it cannot happen. With that being said, the former commissioner undoubtedly was not doing his job. When this money posted, it can't be moved unless this commissioner approves it."