JACKSON- State Auditor Stacey Pickering announced today that Aaron Russell, the County Prosecuting Attorney for Pearl River County, has been indicted on one count of altering public records and one count of committing fraud by a public official.

Special Agents of the Auditor’s Office and Pearl River County Sheriff Deputies arrested Russell at his home earlier today and he was transported to the Pearl River County jail and booked.

Russell, 50, is accused of setting up and executing an unauthorized pretrial diversion program in which he accepted money from defendants in return for their charges being dropped.

“Mr. Russell circumvented the justice system when he created and implemented an unauthorized diversion program,” Auditor Pickering said. “Mr. Russell is an elected official who abused his position and he will be held accountable for his actions.”

Russell is serving his second term as County Attorney in Pearl River County.

This case is being prosecuted by Larry Baker of the Mississippi Attorney General’s Office.

Attached: Aaron Russell

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