Former State Representative Will Dismukes will not go to prison
Former State Representative Will Dismukes was sentenced on Monday, July 17, on theft charges. The Prattville Republican was convicted on a first-degree theft of property charge. The jury also found Dismukes guilty of two aggravating factors which would have allowed Judge Brooke Reid to sentence the former lawmaker to prison. Instead, Reid showed mercy to the non-violent, first-time offender and sentenced Dismukes to five years of community corrections and two years of probation. He was also ordered to pay $43,691.75 in restitution. Dismukes expressed his gratitude that he could spend Monday night at home with his wife and family rather than in jail but steadfastly maintained his innocence. Judge Reid chastised him for not taking any responsibility. Dismukes’ sentencing was scheduled for May 4 but was moved to July 17 after Dismukes’ father committed suicide after his son’s conviction. Dismukes was found guilty by a Montgomery County jury of stealing thousands of dollars from his former employer, Weiss Commercial Flooring. The jury found Dismukes guilty of working for Weiss and then taking money, tools, and materials belonging to Weiss to start his own custom flooring company – before his political career. None of the charges against Dismukes were related to public corruption or his tenure representing House District 88 in the Alabama House of Representatives. Dismukes was a pastor and businessman in Prattville when he was elected to the Alabama House of Representatives in 2018. Dismukes ran for re-election in 2022 despite being indicted for the theft charges. He lost the Republican primary to Jerry Starnes 62 to 38%. Starnes subsequently won the general election. Had Dismukes been currently serving in the Legislature, the felony conviction would have created a vacancy. Dismukes two sisters asked the court not to consider their father’s suicide as grounds for showing leniency to the younger Dismukes. They blame Will for the suicide of their father. The two had had words earlier that day because the elder Dismukes testified against Will during his trial. Will Dismukes’ officiating at a Confederate General Nathan Bedford Forest birthday celebration in Selma while he was a state legislator drew state and national headlines. He had to resign his position as pastor of a Prattville Church over criticism of that incident. If Dismukes fails to live up to the terms of his probation, he will be sent to prison to begin serving his 20-year sentence – the maximum sentence under Alabama law for this offense. Dismukes expressed confidence that the conviction will be overturned on appeal to the Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Former State Representative Will Dismukes convicted on theft charges
On Friday, a Montgomery County jury found former Alabama state Representative Will Dismukes guilty of first-degree theft of property charges. The jury found former Rep. Dismukes guilty of stealing from his former employer, Weiss Commercial Flooring. Dismukes was also found guilty of two aggravating factors, which could lead the first-time offender to spend time in prison when sentenced. “I am very pleased with the jury’s conviction in this case,” Montgomery DA Daryl Bailey told reporters. Dismukes thievery cost a local business thousands of dollars in stolen revenue. This is the first time in history that a Montgomery jury has found an aggravator in a theft case. Because of this, my office will be seeking significant prison time for Mr. Dismukes,” Bailey said. Dismukes, a Republican, represented Elmore and Autauga Counties in the Alabama House of Representatives from 2018 to 2022. Dismukes lost his bid for re-election in the 2022 Republican primary to Jerry Starnes. Dismukes broke away from Wiess Commercial Flooring and started his own flooring business. The accusations against Dismukes were leveled by his former employers. Dismukes was indicted by a Montgomery grand jury in June 2021. Dismukes was a pastor of a Prattville Church but resigned after he was criticized for attending a birthday celebration in Selma for Confederate General Nathan Bedford Forest while former Congressman John Lewis’s (D-Selma) body was lying-in-state in his native Selma. Forest, who became wealthy as a slave trader, headed the Ku Klux Klan following the Civil War. Dismukes was the Chaplain for his local Sons of Confederate Veterans chapter. Dismukes, although one of the youngest members of the Legislature at the time, once collapsed on the floor of the House during his tenure in the body. Dismukes was a 2020 Republican candidate for Congress in Alabama’s Second Congressional District but dropped out of the race and endorsed Jessica Taylor. He also endorsed John Merrill for U.S. Senate. Merrill dropped out of the Senate race when Jeff Sessions entered the 2020 GOP primary field, while Taylor finished third in the GOP primary for Congress. Prosecutors claimed that Dismukes stole thousands of dollars in building materials and tools from Weiss and cashed checks that should have gone to his then-employer. Dismukes testified in his own defense in his trial saying that he did not steal but rather said that he “double-dipped.” Montgomery Judge Brooke Reid will hold a sentencing hearing for Dismukes on May 4th, 2023. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
