Arrest and Conviction of Former Limestone County District Judge

I partnered with the Special Prosecutions Division of the Alabama Attorney Generals Office in investigating former Limestone County District Judge Douglas Lee Patterson. After Patterson's conviction for financial exploitation, FBI Birmingham Special Agent in Charge Johnnie Sharp Jr., said, “Patterson used his position as a judge for private gain, thus undermining the integrity of government and eroding the public’s trust. The FBI will continue to make public corruption investigations a top priority, and we will continue to work with our partners to investigate and root out public corruption wherever it exists.”

Patterson also admitted in court that, while serving as a private attorney, he financially exploited Charles Lee Hardy, for whom he served as a court-appointed conservator. Hardy, who died in December 2015, was a disabled military veteran living in a nursing home. Patterson disregarded his obligation to protect Hardy’s finances and instead plundered his account by taking Hardy’s money and spending it on himself. By the time Hardy died, Patterson had emptied his account and left his family nothing to inherit from the account.

Finally, Patterson admitted that he stole from another conservatorship client, Rudolph Allen, while in private practice. In this case, Patterson stole $601 from Allen three years after he died in July 2015. Patterson spent the money on himself rather than turn it over to Allen’s family.