5 officers charged as Alabama officials call to abolish ‘criminal’ police department
An Alabama grand jury called for the “immediate” abolishment of a police department as five officers, including the police chief, were indicted following an investigation into corruption, officials said.
Hanceville police officers William Shelnutt, Cody Kelso, Jason Wilbanks, Eric Kelso and Police Chief Jason Marlin are charged in a controlled substance crime scheme, Cullman County District Attorney Champ Crocker announced in a Feb. 19 news conference. One of the officer’s wives, Donna Kelso, who is not employed at the agency, is also charged in connection to the scheme.
“This is a sad day for law enforcement, but at the same time, it is a good day for the rule of law,” Crocker said.
A spokesperson for the Hanceville Police Department declined to comment on the indictments when reached by McClatchy News.
An investigation into the practices of the Hanceville Police Department began after an autopsy for 49-year-old Christopher Willingham — an emergency dispatcher at the agency who was found dead in his office in 2024 — revealed the cause of death was a toxic combination of drugs, officials said.
Crocker said the Feb. 14 grand jury of 18 people found Willingham’s death to be the result of the department’s “negligence, lack of procedure, general incompetence and disregard for human life.”
Along with a recommendation to terminate the police department, the grand jury also called it a “threat to public safety” and had “zero confidence” in its ability to maintain the jail.
The most concerning thing the jury found, however, is that the evidence room was not secure, Crocker said.
“There is a rampant culture of corruption in the Hanceville Police Department, which has recently operated as more of a criminal enterprise than a law enforcement agency,” Crocker said.
According to the indictments, Wilbanks and Cody Kelso used the agency’s resources and time to solicit controlled substances from Michael and Donna Kelso. Additionally, several of the officers are accused of tampering with evidence and accessing records unlawfully.
“As mayor, alongside the City Council, I assure you that we will continue to fully cooperate with all investigations and authorities,” Hanceville Mayor Jim Sawyer said in a Feb. 19 statement. “The Council will carefully consider all recommendations and act swiftly and decisively to address the problems within the police department.”
Cullman County Sheriff Matt Gentry said as of Feb. 19 all defendants had made bond.
Sawyer announced in a Feb. 20 statement that all Hanceville Police Department employees would be placed on leave as of 5 p.m. and the Cullman County Sheriff’s Office will take over all law enforcement services for the city.
City Council members are slated to meet Feb. 27 to discuss the future of the police department, Sawyer said.
Hanceville is about a 40-mile drive north from Birmingham and has a population of just under 3,500 people.
This story was originally published February 20, 2025 at 2:26 PM.
