Alabama mayor, 91, admits stealing $201K from town

Oct. 10, 2012 photo provided by Covington County (Ala.) Sheriff's Department shows Mary Ella Hixon / AP Photo/Covington County Sheriff's Department

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. A 91-year-old woman who pleaded guilty Thursday to stealing $201,000 from the south Alabama town where she was mayor for three decades paid hush money in a bid to keep her crimes secret, documents showed.

Prosecutors said River Falls Mayor Mary Ella Hixon pleaded guilty to theft and resigned. In exchange, authorities dropped another felony ethics charge.

Circuit Judge Ashley McKathan sentenced Hixon to 10 years in prison but suspended the term because of Hixon's advanced age. She must spend five years on probation.

Covington County District Attorney Walt Merrell said years of thefts left the city all but broke.

"Had it not been a 91-year-old woman, I would have stood on my head to make sure she went to prison," said Merrell.

McKathan ordered Hixon to repay the money, with her estate being held responsible if she dies before all the money is refunded.

The probe revealed Hixon had illegally transferred $201,610 in city money to others in the last three years, but the prosecutor said the thefts likely started long before.

An attorney representing Hixon, Mark Christensen, said "a lot of factors" led to Hixon's actions.

"I think, at least partially, she was being taken advantage of (by) some others she trusted and probably shouldn't have," he said.

Hixon, one of Alabama's longest-serving mayors, was re-elected in August, Christensen said.

Located near the Florida line, River Falls has about 510 residents. It's little more than a wide spot in the road for people driving to Panhandle beaches.

"To a casual passerby, it would be two gas stations and a bridge," Merrell said.

Authorities said police in nearby Opp began investigating after The Andalusia Star-News reported in August about the city selling property to a middle-aged man who was living with Hixon. Merrell said Hixon acted like a grandmother to the man's four children, the youngest of whom just entered college.

A sworn police statement said city money went to Hixon and her relatives, the man she lived with and his relatives, and co-workers at a development company where the mayor also worked.

The police statement showed the investigation grew to include a "concerned citizen" wearing a hidden recorder during a conversation in which Hixon admitted to illegal conduct, told the person what to say to police, and paid the man $525 to "keep him quiet."

Hixon turned herself in to authorities Wednesday in a negotiated surrender and was released on bond without having to spend the night in jail before her court appearance.

No one else has been charged, authorities said, but an investigation continues and Hixon agreed to cooperate. Christensen said she testified to a grand jury after pleading guilty.

Residents who long suspected wrongdoing in the town began talking to police after word of the investigation leaked earlier this year, said the district attorney. While Hixon was old, he said, she also was powerful.

"We had quite a few citizens come forward with information they had held on to for years," Merrell said. "They were reluctant to do so earlier for fear of being ostracized or because it was a proverbial "little old lady."'

[419andlost]

I am Shocked! Not that she stole the money but that there was actually a town in Alabama that had $200,000 to steal.

[Bojax39]

There's no thief like an old thief... What's really a giggle is that people were dumb enough to elect her time and again, decade after decade. This is a good argument for term limits, from a small time mayor up to Congress where the REAL thievery happens.

[Verascity]

More on this from another source: "A man who lived with former River Falls Mayor Mary Ella Hixon was indicted on charges of taking city money.

The Andalusia Star-News reported Friday that 47-year-old Richard Moss is charged with multiple counts of theft. He's the former administrator of the Coffee County Jail."

So when fellow citizens were afraid to speak out against her, was it this guy they were afraid of?

P.S. If you think and old small town Alabama mayor was anything but conservative, you don't know Alabama.

[aubfmet]

Does she still have a drivers license? At what age should drivers and mayors be re-tested?

[aubfmet]

Does she still have a drivers license? At what age should drivers and mayors be re-tested?

[howbizarre]

Does the mayor of a small town have to claim a political party? I don't have any idea what my mayor is - and I know him personally.

If you are interested in whether this woman is a Republican or Democrat, I'm guessing it is to just spread hate and meanness. We've had crooked politicians, including mayors, who are both Republican and Democrat.

That being said, odds are she is a Republican if you look at the make-up of the state of Alabama. From the fabulous source (that is being said with tongue-in-cheek) of wikipedia, Alabama "can accurately be described as one of the more staunchly Republican states in the nation." It then goes on to describe all the elections won by Republicans in Alabama in the last 30 years or so, and all the offices held currently by Republicans.

[Verascity]

She's old. She's a small town mayor in ALABAMA. If you think she could be elected if she were a Democrat, you don't know the South at all or Alabama in particular.

Miss Mary Ella wouldn't keep getting re-elected by being different from her neighbors but because she was representative of them.

[DenverAngela]

Who cares about her political affiliation. Stop making EVERYTHING about party lines and look at the integrity of the individual. In this case, a thief is a theif!

[eroteme2]

Being there is no mention of party affilliation, I assume she is a Democrat.

[bessiam]

I would vote that she is a Democrat.

[wataugariver]

I am following the nation news reports of this story and one detail seems to be omitted: what is the political party affiliation of River Falls Mayor Mary Ella Hixon?

[In2theDark]

When people are continually re-elected to office this is what happens. They beome too powerful in their communities and think they are beyond reproach.