An ongoing criminal probe into the city of Prichard has widened to include the city’s former finance director, who now faces charges of stealing overtime money from the city she served.
Kimberly Gardner Wilson turned herself over to law enforcement Friday night and was briefly booked into the Mobile County Metro Jail on a single charge of first-degree theft by deception. The 59-year-old entered jail after 10 p.m. and was released on a $7,500 bond roughly an hour and a half later, according to jail records.
The Allegations
Mobile County District Attorney Keith Blackwood said Monday morning that Wilson allegedly stole overtime money from the city between January and May 2026, when she was the head of its finance department. Investigators uncovered the alleged theft as they continued their review of the Prichard Police Department, he said — meaning the charge grew directly out of the corruption investigation that has already produced indictments against the city’s police leadership.
“The allegation is it’s money, theft of money that was the city of Prichard’s funds,” Blackwood said. “This is an allegation of overtime theft. We expect this to develop over time.”
A complaint filed online Monday afternoon states Wilson is accused of improperly billing the city for $3,933.60 in overtime pay. The amount is modest by the standards of public corruption cases — but prosecutors have framed it as the beginning of the story, not the end, noting that the investigation is expected to develop as the review of city finances continues.
First-degree theft by deception is a felony under Alabama law, charged when the value of the property obtained through deception crosses statutory thresholds. The charge describes a specific kind of theft: one accomplished not by force or simple taking, but by deceiving someone into handing over money or property they otherwise would not have parted with — in this case, allegedly by billing the city for overtime hours that were never legitimately worked.
From the Housing Authority to City Hall
Wilson’s professional background includes work as an accountant and financial director for the Prichard Housing Authority before she went to work for the city, according to her personal LinkedIn profile. That trajectory — from the city’s housing authority to the finance department that controls the city’s checkbook — gave her access to exactly the systems the theft allegation involves: payroll, overtime records and the disbursement of city funds.
Mayor Carletta Davis dismissed Wilson from her position as finance director in June, saying in a press release that the removal was part of the administration’s ongoing commitment to responsible financial management, transparency and accountability. At the time, the dismissal drew little attention; two months later, with a criminal charge filed, the June firing reads differently — as an early step in an accountability process that is still unfolding.
The Broader Probe
Wilson’s arrest is the latest turn in a corruption investigation that has convulsed Prichard’s government this year. The same wave of scrutiny produced a federal indictment against a former police officer on charges including soliciting bribes and framing innocent men, and state-level indictments against the police chief and a major on allegations they ran private funeral procession work while on duty. The Mobile County Sheriff’s Office took over law enforcement operations in the city in mid-June, and a county grand jury recommended abolishing the police department and rebuilding it from scratch.
Blackwood’s office has signaled that the investigation into the city’s finances is not limited to what has been charged so far. The district attorney’s comment that the case will “develop over time” suggests prosecutors are still tracing the flow of city money — and that Wilson’s overtime allegations may not be the end of the financial thread.
No court date has yet been set for Wilson. The $7,500 bond — modest by the standards of felony charges — reflects the non-violent nature of the alleged offense and the fact that she surrendered to authorities voluntarily rather than being arrested at her home or workplace.
What Happens Next
Wilson’s case will proceed through the Mobile County court system, beginning with an initial appearance. If convicted of first-degree theft by deception, she could face significant prison time under Alabama’s sentencing guidelines, along with restitution of the funds she is accused of taking.
For Prichard, a city of roughly 20,000 people that has struggled for years with strained finances, the charge against its former finance director compounds a governance crisis that has already claimed the police department’s leadership and drawn a grand jury’s recommendation to start over. The city is operating under a new mayor who has promised transparency and accountability — and who now has a criminal case against her own former finance director to point to as evidence that the promise is being kept.
Investigators have not said whether additional financial irregularities have been identified, or whether the ongoing probe will produce further charges connected to the city’s payroll and overtime systems. Anyone with information relevant to the investigation can contact the Mobile County District Attorney’s Office.