Another Prichard police officer has been arrested in an ongoing corruption investigation, according to the Mobile County district attorney’s office.
According to a statement released by the DA’s office, the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office arrested Capt. Michael Knight Wednesday evening. He faces a charge of first-degree Theft by Deception and another of Use of Official Position or Office for Personal Gain.
The charges are similar to those facing Chief Walter Knight and Maj. Aaron Tucker, though the accusations are slightly different.
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District Attorney Keith Blackwood and Sheriff Paul Burch announced the arrest of Chief Knight and Tucker July 22. Both are accused of taking private payment for funeral escort services while also being paid for being on duty.
At the same time, Blackwood and Burch announced that a grand jury had recommended the Prichard Police Department be “abolished” and rebuilt.
The Theft by Deception complaint against Maj. Knight charges that he took $9,920.84 from the city of Prichard by collecting pay for time when he was working private security jobs. As of Thursday morning, jail records indicated that Maj. Knight was in jail pending a bond hearing on Friday.
Knight is at least the seventh Prichard officer charged in the investigation. Two, Ryan Spencer Phillips and Emanuel Naman Dotch II, face federal charges and are being held pending trial.
Mayor Carletta Davis has said she asked Chief Knight to resign, and he gave her his resignation verbally. His wife reportedly has said he did not.
The decision to charge Chief Knight with felonies over funeral escorts and subject him to a “perp walk” before reporters has drawn criticism from State Rep. Napoleon Bracy, D-Saraland, who said it raises questions about the motivations behind the investigation.
“From my perspective, these charges appear excessive, and what began as an investigation is beginning to look more like a witch hunt,” Bracy said in a Facebook post. “I am concerned that this has become an effort to discredit and dismantle the Prichard Police Department and, ultimately, destroy the City of Prichard rather than pursue justice fairly.”
