Staff Report
From the Office of Attorney General Luther Strange
(MONTGOMERY)–Attorney General Luther Strange announced the arrest today of disbarred* Jasper lawyer Garve Ivey Jr. for multiple felony counts of theft. Garfield Woodrow Ivey Jr. 60, surrendered this afternoon at the Walker County Sheriff’s Office. Bail was set at $210,000.
Attorney General Strange’s Office presented evidence to a Walker County grand jury this morning, resulting in Ivey’s indictment**. Specifically, the indictment charges Ivey with:
- One count of second-degree theft of a check or currency valued between $500 and $2,500; and
- Ten counts of first-degree theft of a check or currency valued at more than $2,500.
No further information about the investigation or about Ivey’s alleged crimes other than that stated in the indictment may be released at this time.If convicted, Ivey faces a maximum penalty of two to 20 years imprisonment and a fine of up to $30,000 for each of the 10 counts of first-degree theft, which is a class B felony; and one to 10 years imprisonment and a fine of up to $15,000 for the count of second-degree theft, which is a class C felony.
Attorney General Strange commended those who are handling this case, noting in particular Assistant Attorneys General Stephanie Billingslea and Pete Smyczek of the Attorney General’s Public Corruption, and White Collar Crime Division, and special agents of the Attorney General’s Investigations Division.
*According to July 2011 edition of The Alabama Lawyer, a publication of the Alabama State Bar Association: “Jasper attorney Garfield Woodrow Ivey, Jr., was disbarred from the practice of law in Alabama, effective March 14, 2011, by order of the Supreme Court of Alabama. The supreme court entered its order based upon the March 14, 2011 order of consent to disbarment of Panel II of the Disciplinary Board of the Alabama State Bar. Ivey consented to disbarment based on two investigations concerning the misappropriation of third-party and client funds from Ivey’s trust account.”
**An indictment is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
