Alabama sheriff who pocketed $750K in inmate food money thanks to state law loses in primary
Sheriff Todd Entrekin/Etowah County (Alabama) Sheriff’s Office website.
An Alabama sheriff has lost a Republican primary race for the position after news reports revealed he pocketed more than $750,000 in excess money designated for inmate food.
Etowah County Sheriff Todd Entrekin lost to Rainbow City Police Chief Jonathon Horton on Tuesday, report AL.com, the Huffington Post and the Gadsden Times. There were no candidates in the Democratic primary.
AL.com had reported in March that Entrekin was able to pocket more than $750,000 over a three-year period thanks to a state law that allows sheriffs to “keep and retain” leftover prisoner meal money. Many sheriffs in the state have interpreted the law to allow them to personally keep leftover funds rather than turn the money over to their respective counties.
Horton attributed his win to “transparency, honesty and hard work, and God, first and foremost,” according to the Gadsden Times. With most of the ballots counted, Horton had about 64 percent of the vote.
Horton had pledged to use any excess inmate food funds for things that will benefit taxpayers.
