Al J. Hurley, Bribery and Extortion, Georgia 2023

Al J. Hurley, a Sumter County Commissioner, Convicted of Bribery and Extortion

A federal jury in Albany, Georgia, has convicted Al J. Hurley, a 54-year-old county commissioner, of one count each of attempted extortion and federal program bribery.

Hurley, who was first elected to the five-member board of commissioners in 1999, was found guilty of accepting illicit payments in exchange for his official efforts to secure government contracts for a private contractor.

The evidence presented at trial showed that from September to December 2011, Hurley solicited and agreed to accept cash payments, including $5,000 on October 23, 2011, and $15,000 on December 19, 2011, from a private contractor in exchange for his repeated promises to use official action and influence to help facilitate the award of county contracting work to the contractor.

Hurley faces a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison for the attempted extortion charge and 10 years in prison on the bribery charge. Each count also carries a maximum $250,000 fine. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

According to the indictment, Hurley told the contractor that he would help him win a $100,000 depot renovation contract in a city within Hurley’s district. Trial testimony also established that, in order to drive up the bribe amount, Hurley invented two inside contacts that he claimed to have at a new racetrack project in his district, and claimed the contacts could influence the award of related contracting work in favor of the contractor.

The case was prosecuted by Trial Attorney Eric G. Olshan of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney K. Alan Dasher of the Middle District of Georgia. The case was investigated by the FBI.

Hurley’s conviction is a significant blow to the people of Sumter County, who trusted him to serve their interests. Instead, he chose to line his own pockets with bribes and extort money from private contractors.

The FBI and the federal government have shown that they will not tolerate corruption in our public officials. We will continue to investigate and prosecute those who abuse their power for personal gain.

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