By The Associated Press
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) — A man is charged with stealing from a memorial fund that was established to help the family of an Alabama police officer who was killed last year, authorities said Tuesday.
Devonte Lemond Hammonds, 27, of Birmingham was charged with multiple counts of fraud, federal prosecutors said in a news release. He was charged with taking money from a fund set help to aid relatives of Huntsville police officer Billy Clardy, who was shot to death in the line of duty in December.
Hammonds allegedly used the identity of another person to open a bank account and transfer funds from the Billy Clardy Memorial Fund for his own use, authorities said.
The man also used the U.S. Postal Service website to reroute mail to addresses and used personal information from senders to pay bills, buy items and open accounts, the statement said.
An attorney representing Hammonds, Gregory Reid, declined comment.