Former Bibb County Deputy Sheriff Convicted of Sexual Exploitation

| December 18, 2015 

 ========= Old Image Removed =========Array
(
    [_wp_attached_file] => Array
        (
            [0] => 2015/12/Bibb-sheriff_logo.png
        )

    [_wp_attachment_metadata] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:5:{s:5:"width";i:225;s:6:"height";i:220;s:4:"file";s:29:"2015/12/Bibb-sheriff_logo.png";s:5:"sizes";a:3:{s:9:"thumbnail";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:29:"Bibb-sheriff_logo-140x140.png";s:5:"width";i:140;s:6:"height";i:140;s:9:"mime-type";s:9:"image/png";}s:9:"wbhm-icon";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:27:"Bibb-sheriff_logo-80x80.png";s:5:"width";i:80;s:6:"height";i:80;s:9:"mime-type";s:9:"image/png";}s:14:"post-thumbnail";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:29:"Bibb-sheriff_logo-125x125.png";s:5:"width";i:125;s:6:"height";i:125;s:9:"mime-type";s:9:"image/png";}}s:10:"image_meta";a:12:{s:8:"aperture";s:1:"0";s:6:"credit";s:0:"";s:6:"camera";s:0:"";s:7:"caption";s:0:"";s:17:"created_timestamp";s:1:"0";s:9:"copyright";s:0:"";s:12:"focal_length";s:1:"0";s:3:"iso";s:1:"0";s:13:"shutter_speed";s:1:"0";s:5:"title";s:0:"";s:11:"orientation";s:1:"0";s:8:"keywords";a:0:{}}}
        )

    [_media_credit] => Array
        (
            [0] => Conner395
        )

    [_navis_media_credit_org] => Array
        (
            [0] => 
        )

    [_navis_media_can_distribute] => Array
        (
            [0] => 
        )

    [_imagify_optimization_level] => Array
        (
            [0] => 1
        )

    [_imagify_data] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:2:{s:5:"stats";a:3:{s:13:"original_size";i:114295;s:14:"optimized_size";i:39829;s:7:"percent";d:65.150000000000006;}s:5:"sizes";a:4:{s:4:"full";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:57:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2015/12/Bibb-sheriff_logo.png";s:13:"original_size";i:44855;s:14:"optimized_size";i:18310;s:7:"percent";d:59.18;}s:9:"thumbnail";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:65:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2015/12/Bibb-sheriff_logo-140x140.png";s:13:"original_size";i:31267;s:14:"optimized_size";i:9330;s:7:"percent";d:70.159999999999997;}s:9:"wbhm-icon";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:63:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2015/12/Bibb-sheriff_logo-80x80.png";s:13:"original_size";i:11187;s:14:"optimized_size";i:3749;s:7:"percent";d:66.489999999999995;}s:14:"post-thumbnail";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:65:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2015/12/Bibb-sheriff_logo-125x125.png";s:13:"original_size";i:26986;s:14:"optimized_size";i:8440;s:7:"percent";d:68.719999999999999;}}}
        )

    [_imagify_status] => Array
        (
            [0] => success
        )

)
1637578009 
1450454516

A former Bibb County deputy sheriff has been convicted on six criminal charges stemming from allegations that he sexually exploited women he encountered during traffic stops.

Alabama Attorney General Luther Strange announced the conviction of Ervin Heard today

Heard, 44, of Centreville, was found guilty on December 17, 2015, of charges of custodial sexual misconduct, first degree sexual abuse, second degree human trafficking, intimidating a witness, unlawful imprisonment and harassing communications.  Heard was fired from the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office in 2013 for behavior unbecoming a law enforcement officer.

During the trial, seven female witnesses testified that Heard, while on duty as a deputy sheriff, solicited and received sexual favors from them in exchange for not taking them to jail for various offenses.  Evidence showed that Heard transported at least one of these female victims in his patrol car to the Sheriff’s Office for the purpose of forcing her to perform a sexual act.

“Law enforcement personnel are sworn to protect the public,” said Attorney General Strange. “When someone crosses the line and abuses their authority there can be no excuse.  The defendant, while an officer of the law, chose to ignore his duty to protect and defend.  He should therefore be held accountable to the law and face the full measure of justice.”

Heard is scheduled to be sentenced on May 23, 2016. The Attorney General’s Criminal Trials Division prosecuted the case at the request of the Bibb County District Attorney’s Office, which recused itself from the case.

 

United Nations nuclear agency again condemns Iran for failing to fully cooperate

The resolution comes after the agency said Iran has defied demands to rein in its nuclear program and has increased its stockpile of uranium enriched to near weapons-grade levels.

Alabama carries out nation’s 3rd nitrogen gas execution

An Alabama man convicted in the 1994 killing of a hitchhiker cursed at the prison warden shortly before he was put to death Thursday evening in the nation's third execution using nitrogen gas.

Trump names former Florida AG Pam Bondi as his new pick for U.S. attorney general

After former Rep. Matt Gaetz withdrew from consideration, President-elect Donald Trump named Pam Bondi, a former attorney general of Florida, as his next pick for U.S. attorney general.

Police report gives details, timeline of the sexual assault claim against Pete Hegseth

The woman who accused then-Fox News host of sexual assault in 2017 said that she "remembered saying 'no' a lot," according to a police report. Hegseth is President-elect Donald Trump's choice for Secretary of Defense.

Alabama Black Belt’s sewer crisis a tougher fix for residents in manufactured homes

Poor sanitation has long plagued residents in Alabama’s Black Belt. For people with manufactured houses, finding a solution has been more challenging.

In Birmingham, Black men’s groups work to save young men from the cycle of gun violence

As the city inches closer to its homicide record, community members are trying to address a sense of fatalism and lack of opportunity felt by some young men.

More Front Page Coverage