Former Autauga County Asst. VFD Chief Convicted on Theft Charges

by WAKA Action 8 News

Attorney General Luther Strange announced the conviction late yesterday of a former assistant chief of the Autaugaville Volunteer Fire Department for a felony ethics violation and third-degree theft. 

Mack Cell Harmon was found guilty by a jury in Autauga County Circuit Court following a two-day trial. Sentencing is set forAugust 20.

The Attorney General’s Special Prosecutions Division presented evidence to an Autauga County grand jury resulting in Harmon’s indictment in November of 2013.

Also indicted were Danny Chavers, former chief of the Autaugaville VFD and a former chairman of the Autauga County Commission, and Ernest Terry Stoudemire, also a former chief of the Autaugaville VFD.  

Chavers pleaded guilty in March to five felony charges, two for violating the ethics law and three for first-degree theft.  

An ethics charge and a second-degree theft charge are pending against Stoudemire.

The evidence presented by the Attorney General’s Special Prosecutions Division showed that Harmon illegally obtained and kept $500 of a donation made by a private citizen that was intended for the Fire Department.  

This occurred at a time when the Fire Department was recovering from the theft of its money by Danny Chavers and the donation was intended to help with expenses.