Anniston city councilman Ben Little has been charged with two counts of ethics violations, Anniston Star reports.
Little turned himself in at the Calhoun County jail Monday afternoon after a grand jury filed an indictment charging him with voting on city legislation on which he had a conflict of interest, and on an issue in which he had a financial interest. If convicted, he faces from two to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $30,000, as well as removal from office.
In 2017, the city council voted to abate a list of vehicles that were inoperable and sitting in yards. Little owned several of them, and a church where he serves as pastor owned a van. Calhoun County District Attorney Brian McVeigh confirmed the state Attorney General’s office is handling the case, according to AL.com.
Little voted against declaring inoperable vehicles that were sitting in yards a nuisance in 2017 instead of abstaining, WBRC reports. Little owned several of the vehicles in question and is the pastor of a church that owned another.
Little arraignment is scheduled for March 14.
Read the indictment below:
