Geneva County Circuit Clerk Ashley Powell has been charged with violating Alabama's state ethics law by using her office for personal gain, Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall announced Friday.

According to AL.com, the indictment alleges that Powell, 52, illegally paid herself more than $93,000 in public funds, a Class B felony. If convicted, Powell could face up to 20 years in prison.

Investigators said Powell violated public trust by using her official position to route public funds directly to herself. Her arrest had been expected, as Powell had already been barred from the office months earlier and was ordered to turn in her keys in March.

Authorities did not disclose the manner in which Powell allegedly paid herself with public money.

In Alabama, circuit clerks are constitutionally mandated officers who serve as the chief administrative staff for circuit courts, managing court records, jury rolls, and—in an election context—absentee ballot processing for their county. The dual role makes the position especially sensitive during election cycles, when absentee voting volume surges.

In 2023, Judicial Circuit Chief Judge William Filmore appointed Powell to serve out the remainder of former Geneva County Circuit Clerk Gale Laye's term. At the time, local news outlet WDHN reported that Powell had worked in the circuit clerk's office for seven years and "has performed all roles of the office including bookkeeping and making sure all court documents are properly filed."

Powell told WDHN that she planned to run for Geneva County Circuit Clerk as a Republican in the 2024 election.

WTVY News Channel 4 reported that Powell's role as clerk could raise additional concerns because the office plays an important part in the election process, especially with elections only a few months away.

State officials barred Powell from her courthouse duties in March after initial audits flagged missing local accounts. After her suspension, Powell retained defense counsel as state prosecutors began presenting financial records to a grand jury. Local courts appointed an acting administrator to handle daily clerk filings and manage local election preparations.

Local political leaders said they were concerned about how the case could affect public confidence, especially as committees work to stabilize the regional ticket ahead of approaching voting deadlines.

The case comes amid broader political unease among many Republican voters in the South and in red states, who are said to be less enthusiastic about elections amid President Donald Trump's declining poll numbers and voter dissatisfaction with his policies. The article also says Trump's war on Iran is continuing and pushing fuel and grocery prices higher as the country heads toward the midterms, and that the steady drumbeat of Trump's corruption appears to be contributing to the party's overall malaise.