Man once known as Alabama’s longest-serving sheriff granted parole from prison sentence

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — The man once known as Alabama’s longest-serving sheriff has been granted parole and is due to be released soon from prison. The Alabama Bureau of Pardons and Paroles voted 2-1 Thursday to parole former Limestone County Sheriff Mike Blakely. He has been serving a three-year sentence for his 2021 conviction on felony charges of theft and abuse of power. The convictions followed accusations he borrowed money from a jail safe used to hold inmates’ money and also deposited $4,000 in campaign funds into his personal account. Al.com reported the board chairperson voted against parole, saying Blakely should finish the court’s sentence. Blakely served nearly four decades as a sheriff until his conviction.