DESOTO COUNTY, Miss. — A member of the Southaven Board of Alderman was arrested Wednesday on charges of procuring prostitution.
Ronald Wayne Hale was arrested by the DeSoto County Sheriff’s Office around 11 a.m. and booked into the county jail with a $1,000 bond. He was released from jail about two hours later.
An affidavit states Hale communicated with a woman and promised her money in exchange for sex.
Hale, 57, was elected to the Southaven Board of Alderman in 2016 as a representative for Ward Two.
According to his official bio page with the City of Southaven, he is a Memphis firefighter and owner of Signmaster Sign Company.
Southaven Mayor Darren Musselwhite called the arrest “very concerning” but declined comment until the investigation and judicial process are complete.
The Memphis Fire Department has relieved Hale of duty with pay pending the outcome of the investigation.