Micky Ray Hammon, Mail Fraud, Alabama 2018

Decatur, Ala. — Micky Ray Hammon, 60, the former Alabama House Majority Leader, was sentenced to three months in federal prison Thursday for mail fraud, marking the fall of a once-powerful state legislator who betrayed the public trust. The sentence, handed down February 15, 2018, in Montgomery, comes after Hammon admitted guilt in a scheme that siphoned campaign donations for personal use — cash that voters believed would support his 2014 reelection bid.

Hammon, who represented Alabama’s fourth district from 2003 to 2017 and served as House Majority Leader from 2010 until his resignation, exploited the U.S. Postal Service to receive donation checks — then turned those funds into personal payouts. Court records show he used the money to cover private expenses, a direct violation of Alabama law, which strictly prohibits the personal use of campaign contributions. Each mailed check was a step in his calculated fraud.

“The victims of Hammon’s offense were not only the donors to his campaign, but all Alabama voters,” declared U.S. Attorney Louis V. Franklin, Sr. “All voters trust that elected officials will serve honorably, not line their own pockets. Hammon violated that trust.” The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan S. Ross, underscoring the federal government’s push to root out corruption in state politics.

The U.S. Postal Inspection Service, which investigated the case, emphasized that the misuse of the mail system for fraudulent gain strikes at the foundation of public confidence. “This sentencing sends out the clear message that nobody is above the law when it comes to the sanctity of the U.S. Mail,” said U.S. Postal Inspector in Charge Adrian Gonzalez, Houston Division. “Postal Inspectors steadfastly work to defend the nation’s mail system from fraud.”

Hammon’s fall from power began when he entered his guilty plea in 2017, ending a 14-year tenure in the state legislature. Now, he faces not only prison time but three years of supervised release, a constant reminder of the accountability that follows corruption. His legacy is no longer defined by legislation, but by deception.

Federal authorities made no exceptions for his status. In the eyes of the law, Hammon wasn’t a majority leader — he was a fraudster who used the mail to cheat donors and voters alike. The message is clear: power doesn’t shield you. The feds do the arresting, and the prison doors still slam shut.

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