ALCORN COUNTY, Miss. — Former Alcorn County Supervisor Jimmy ‘Dal’ Nelms will serve 12 years behind bars.
Nelms entered a guilty plea to false representation to defraud government, fraudulently obtaining public funds and embezzlement.
He received 30 years in the custody of the Mississippi Department of Corrections, but 18 of those are suspended and he will serve 12 years behind bars. He will also pay more than $300,000 in restitution and another almost $10,000 in fines and court costs.
The state found that Nelms brought at least four others into the corruption scheme.
Some of the fraudulent practices include selling county cars at jacked-up prices and buying bathroom fixtures from Lowe’s on county credit.
Alcorn County vendor Jimmy Ray Mitchell also pleaded guilty to obtaining public funds and false representation to defraud government in court Tuesday. He received a five-year sentence and will pay about $95,000 in restitution.
Two others related to the scandal have also been in court Tuesday.
The case comes after a detailed investigation by state auditor Stacey Pickering.
“Uncovering deep rooted public corruption like this is why I wanted to be your State Auditor,” Pickering said in a statement. “The people of Mississippi deserve to feel confident in their government. There are individuals in this state who have no problem taking hard-earned, tax-payer dollars and spending them for their own pleasure. I hope the sentencing of these individuals serves as a wake-up call for those who are betraying their public oaths: We will uncover the truth, and violators will be held accountable.”
An interim District 2 supervisor was sworn in Tueday morning as Nelms’ replacement.
