Former police officer indicted on sex charges

A former Russellville police officer accused of having inappropriate relations with city inmates was indicted by the September grand jury on sexually-related charges and was terminated by the Russellville City Council Monday night.

Police Sgt. Jeremy Shane Hall, 33, 1372 Franklin 89, Phil Campbell, was indicted on seven counts of custodial sexual misconduct, officials said.

According to authorities, Hall was originally charged with three counts of custodial sexual misconduct and the other four counts were added before the case went to grand jury.

Officials said Hall was originally charged on March 25 following an investigation by the Alabama Bureau of Investigation that was promoted after Police Chief Chris Hargett received a complaint from a female inmate at the city jail who alleged Hall touched her inappropriately.

According to witness testimony at Hall’s preliminary hearing at the end of June, ABI criminal investigator Cpl. Brian Faulkner said the female inmate accused Hall of making her perform a strip search when he let her out to get a snack at the snack machine inside the police department.

Faulkner confirmed that he had received other complaints during the course of the investigation from women who said Hall had inappropriate interactions with them while they were housed at the city jail.

Faulkner said Hall is only accused of having sexual intercourse with one of the female inmates. The others made complaints based on inappropriate touching or oral sex.

Faulkner said video surveillance helps corroborate the story of the female inmate Hall allegedly had sexual intercourse with. Faulkner testified that when Hall and the inmate went into the sergeants’ office so the inmate could call her mother, video evidence showed they were in the room for 25 minutes and 14 seconds, which is much longer than normal for a phone call.

Testimony during the June hearing also revealed that Hall was accused of offering female inmates privileges and an “easier time in jail” in exchange for sexual favors.

Hall remains on unpaid administrative leave from the Russellville Police Department, a status he will maintain until the outcome of the case is decided or unless the Russellville City Council decides to take a different action.

Hall’s case will be set for arraignment on Oct. 25 and will be scheduled on the December trial docket.