LOXLEY, Ala. — Attorney General Troy King’s office announced Monday that former Loxley police chief Clifford Bradley Yetter, 63, of Loxley and former municipal court clerk Kay Wilson Hicks, 51, of Daphne were arrested by Robert D. Stuart and Michael Murphy of the Alabama Criminal Justice Center. Both were taken to the Baldwin County jail.

Yetter is charged with nine counts of willfully obtaining or seeking criminal records through the Law Enforcement Tactical System under false pretenses. Each count can be punished by up to five years imprisonment and a fine between $5,000 and 10,000.

According to town records, Yetter joined the Loxley police department in 1984 and resigned as chief in March of 2007 when Michael Murphy took over of Chief of Police. Yetter remained on the force as a patrolman, leaving December 1, 2007.

Yetter also faces two counts of unauthorized use of a computer to obtain records through LETS. This a CLass “A” misdemeanor, and can be punished by up to 12 months of imprisonment and a fine of up to $6,000 per count. He has been released from the Baldwin County Corrections Center.

Hicks is charged with 11 counts of willfully seeking LETS criminal records under false pretenses, and nine counts of unauthorized use of a computer to to obtain criminal records of people through the LETS system. She has been released from jail.

A Baldwin County grand jury handed down an 11-count indictment against Yetter and a 20-count indictment against Hicks

“This (LETS) is a useful tool if used right,” said Loxley Mayor Billy Middleton. Middleton did not know of the arrests when contacted, but knew that state law enforcement officials were conducting “some sort of investigation.”

“It’s against the law to misuse the system,” Middleton said.

According to Middleton, Hicks retired from her position “around Feb. 1, 2007.”

“It is particularly serious when a police chief and court official are accused of violating the laws they were entrusted to enforce and protect," King said in a press release. “The LETS program is an invaluable tool for law enforcement, and the information this system contains is protected by law.

“Access to this data is privileged and confidential, and it is a crime to use LETS for any purpose other than a legitimate law enforcement or criminal justice purpose.