Brandon Hughes was first elected as District Attorney in 2016.
UPDATE: Nov. 9, 5:30 p.m.
Lee County District Attorney Brandon Hughes was arrested, this time in Montgomery, for a second perjury charge. This is the second time he was arrested in two days.
Hughes is being charged with perjury for allegedly giving false information to the Alabama Ethics Commission, which is located in Montgomery. The commission investigated Hughes' actions earlier in the year.
UPDATE: Nov. 9, 10:30 a.m.
On Monday morning, the Alabama Attorney General's Office announced the indictment of Lee County District Attorney Brandon Hughes, for several charges of violating the state ethics act and conspiring to steal a pickup truck.
Hughes was booked into the Lee County Jail Sunday night and subsequently released on bond.
Hughes was indicted by a Lee County grand jury on Nov. 6, which found that there was enough evidence to accuse him of several crimes. The grand jury charged him with violating the state ethics act, conspiracy to commit first-degree theft and first-degree perjury. Hughes has not yet had a trial and has not been found guilty.
Hughes was indicted on five counts of violating the state ethics act for using his office for personal gain. This includes paying private attorneys with public funds to settle a matter that benefited himself and his wife, the AG's office said.
He was also charged with the illegal hiring of his three children to work for the Lee County DA's office.
The final ethics act charge was for illegally using his office for his personal benefit by issuing a subpoena to a private business to gather evidence for his defense to potential criminal charges.
Hughes was also charged with conspiring to commit first-degree theft. It is alleged that Hughes and others agreed to steal a pickup truck from a business in Chambers County. It is also said that Hughes and others took a Lee County search warrant into Chambers County and used it to force the business to "release lawful possession" of a 1985 Ford Ranger.
The final charge, perjury, comes from the allegation that Hughes provided false information to the grand jury under oath.
If Hughes is found guilty of any of the charges, the jail time for each ranges from one year to 20 years in prison.
According to the AG, the five violations of the state ethics act charged in the indictment are Class B felonies, each punishable by two to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $30,000. The charges of conspiracy to commit first-degree theft and first-degree perjury are Class C felonies, each punishable by one year and one day to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $15,000.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant Chief Deputy Attorney General Clark Morris, with Assistant Attorney General Jasper Roberts of the Special Prosecutions Division. AG Steve Marshall recused himself from the case due to prior experience with Hughes.
Nov. 8, 7:30 p.m.
Lee County District Attorney Brandon Hughes was arrested on Sunday evening by officers with the Lee County Sheriff's Office on multiple charges.
Hughes was booked into the Lee County Jail at approximately 5 p.m. Among the seven charges were five counts of using office for personal gain, one count of conspiracy to commit theft and one count of first degree perjury.
Lee County Sheriff Jay Jones told The Plainsman he was booked on seven counts and posted a $31,000 bond.
Jones said he was released after the booking that resulted from an investigation by the Alabama Attorney General's Office.
Hughes surrendered to the jail after being indicted on seven state ethics charges.
This story is being updated.
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