Alabama lawmaker, Satsuma school board president charged

What happened

A sheriff says an Alabama representative and the president of the Satsuma school board have been charged with human trafficking. The announcement identifies the two people by their public offices but does not include their names.

Human trafficking is a criminal allegation. A charge is not a finding of guilt, and the people accused are entitled to due process in court.

What is known

The allegation involves two public officials: one serving in the Alabama House of Representatives and one serving as president of the Satsuma school board. The sheriff is the official identified as announcing the charges.

The announcement described here does not state when the charges were filed, which court is handling the case, whether either person has been arrested, or whether either person has entered a plea. It also does not state the alleged conduct, the number of charges, or any bond conditions.

What comes next

The case will proceed through the criminal court process. That process may include formal charging documents, an initial court appearance, a plea and later hearings. Any court filings or statements from the sheriff's office would provide the official details of the allegations and the next scheduled steps.

The charges do not by themselves remove either person from elected or school-board office. Any action involving those offices would depend on the applicable legal and governing procedures.