The Office of Alabama Attorney General Luther Strange has released additional details concerning the arrest of a former attorney from Cherokee County on charges of first-degree theft from the State of Alabama’s indigent defense fund.

45-year old Rodney Stallings of Centre, was arrested by the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office on February 28 and was released on $50,000 bond.

The Attorney General’s Criminal Trials Division presented evidence to a Cherokee County grand jury on February 26, resulting in an indictment being filed against Stallings the next day.

Specifically, the indictment charges Stallings with one count of first-degree theft by unauthorized control of more than $2,500 from the State of Alabama ‘s Fair Trial Tax Fund, and with one count of first-degree theft by deception of more than $2,500 from the State of Alabama’s Fair Trial Tax Fund.

No further information about the investigation or about Stallings’ alleged crimes other than that stated in the indictment may be released at this time.

If convicted, Stallings faces penalties of two to 20 years imprisonment and fines of up to $30,000 for each of the two counts.