Etowah County lawyer charged with theft, tax evasion
An Etowah County attorney faces theft, tax evasion, and subscribing to a false statement charges after an indictment by a grand jury, according to Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall.
John Davis McCord, 63, is charged with four counts of first-degree theft of property, two counts of tax evasion, and two charges of subscribing to a false statement in relation to state income taxes in 2017 and 2018. He turned himself in at the Etowah County Sheriff's Office on Thursday and was released on bail.
District Attorney Jody Willoughby recused himself in the case; the attorney general's office Criminal Trials Division sought the indictment after an investigation — still ongoing — by the Rainbow City and Gadsden police departments, and the Alabama Department of Revenue.
The indictment charges McCord with theft of more than $2,500 from four different victims in Etowah County; trying to evade state income taxes in 2017 and 2018, and subscribing to false statements.
If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years imprisonment and a $30,000 fine for each theft count, and a maximum of five years imprisonment and a $100,000 fine for the two counts of tax evasion and false statement charges.
McCord's wife, Susan Rollins McCord, was indicted on one count of first-degree theft of property for her alleged involvement with her husband in one of the cases. She remains free on bail pending the resolution of her case.
According to the attorney general's office, the investigation continues and anyone with information about the case or the defendant is asked to contact the Gadsden Police Department at 256-549-4500.
This article originally appeared on The Gadsden Times: Etowah Co. Lawyer face charges of theft, tax evasion, false statements
