Former Circuit Clerk found guilty, sentenced Wednesday

A former Crenshaw County Circuit Court Clerk pleaded guilty Wednesday, June 18, in the court she had served since 2007. After finding her guilty, presiding Coffee County Circuit Judge Jeffery Kelley leveled sentencing before the defendant, Olga Jeannie Gibson, was taken into custody to begin her term behind bars at the Crenshaw County Jail.

Gibson pleaded guilty to charges brought by Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall’s office on behalf of the state for abusing her office as Circuit Clerk of Crenshaw County. She admitted to using her office for personal gain, a Class B felony, and taking $139,645.81 belonging to the office.

“Such use or gain, where not otherwise specifically authorized by law, [is] in violation of Alabama Code 36-45-5A and an offense of dignity against the state of Alabama… ,” Kelley advised Gibson while he presented a line of questioning aimed to ascertain whether she pleaded guilty of her own free will.

A report issued by the Alabama Department of Examiners of Public Accounts details findings revealed by the agency’s review of circuit court records in March. State examiner Martha B. Lewis reported discovering “a total of $97,211.84 that was paid to an individual (Gibson) when no documentation was provided that work was performed by the Individual” and said she “needs to repay more than $209,000 in missing or misspent funds.”

The court found Gibson guilty of one count of using her office for personal gain. Per terms of the plea agreement, Kelley sentenced Gibson to 10 years in the state penitentiary to be served in a split sentence as two years in the county jail, with the first year to be actually served inside the Crenshaw County jail and the second year in her home with electronic monitoring.

Gibson was represented by her attorney, former District Judge Thomas Sport, who declined to comment on behalf of his client. 

Gibson’s sentence included an order for her to pay court costs and to pay restitution while on probation for eight years after her release from jail. In addition, Gibson is ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $482,494.49 to be distributed as $139,645.81 to the circuit clerk’s office, $338,407.68 to the Alabama Circuit Clerk’s Association (ACCA) and $4,441 to a Liberty Memorial Fund.

Justin Clark, attorney for the ACCA, explained the association’s position, as a victim for the purposes of restitution, on the ruling.

“The association is frustrated with somebody that they trusted,” Clark said. “[She was a colleague of theirs who stole not only from her public office but stole from their association.”

As part of her guilty plea, Gibson agreed that retirement she earned through her elected office of circuit clerk would go toward the ordered restitution. The money, which does not include retirement she earned as a Crenshaw County employee, was estimated at around $130,000.

The remaining portion of restitution will be paid at the rate of $500 per month after Gibson is released from jail. All monies received will be prorated between the awarded parties.

“The quest to try to find out where the money went is really the big sticking point and the big frustration,” Clark said. “For purposes of today, she’s accepted her responsibility for stealing from her public office, but there’s still restitution that she needs to pay, and that’s been the continued frustration. Until that happens and we’re made whole, I think that frustration and pain and injury will continue.”

In February, a Shelby County Circuit Court levied a judgement against Gibson, finding her liable for fraudulent misrepresentation, fraudulent suppression, breach of fiduciary duty, negligence and unjust enrichment. The civil lawsuit, filed on Feb. 10, alleged that Gibson, who served as Secretary/Treasurer of the association from 2019 until her resignation in January, misappropriated funds belonging to the association over a period of several years.

According to the complaint, members of the executive committee for the association conducted a review of the group’s check register on one bank account in January. The review revealed Gibson had misappropriated funds and provided false and incomplete financial reports to conceal improper use of funds for personal gain between September 2019 and this past January.