A former Alabama state trooper was convicted Tuesday of using a state credit card to purchase gasoline for his personal use. The end of the case marked the second such  conviction of a former state trooper in recent months.

Terry Stallworth, 50, of Mobile, had been stationed in the Mobile office of the Alabama Department of Public Safety. He pleaded guilty in Mobile County Circuit Court. He was sentenced to two years, which was suspended for two years of probation, and ordered to pay court costs, a fine and restitution, all totaling more than $1,500.

This is the second state trooper to plead guilty to felony ethics charges related to improper use of a state credit card. In November of 2012, former state trooper Jonathon Dees also pleaded guilty to a felony ethics charge for misusing his state credit card to purchase fuel for himself. Dees was sentenced to a five-year sentence, which was suspended, and is currently on probation.

A third former trooper, Kenneth Grissett, was indicted in February 2012 by a Tuscaloosa County grand jury for theft and ethics violations related to his alleged misuse of his state fuel card. A date has not yet been set for his trial.

The State’s evidence against Stallworth included records that Stallworth purchased fuel on his off days with the state credit card, video evidence showing Stallworth fueling up his personal vehicle using his state credit card, and Stallworth’s statement to ABI investigators.
Stallworth purchased more than $500 worth of fuel for his personal vehicle using his state credit card over a three and a half month period spanning December 2010 to March 2011.

“This case is a sad example of someone who has betrayed not only the trust of taxpayers and the law that he was sworn to uphold, but also his fellow law enforcement officers who have earned our trust and respect,” Attorney General Luther Strange said. “Our message to all is that public corruption must be fought so that Alabama citizens may have confidence on those who serve the public.”

The Attorney General commended Assistant Attorney General Pete Smyczek and Deputy Attorney General Mike Duffy of the Attorney General’s Special Prosecutions Division, and thanked the Alabama Bureau of Investigation for their successful handling of this case.