Former Walhalla police chief Ronald Wilbanks indicted on misconduct charges

Former Walhalla Police Chief Ronald Wilbanks has been indicted on three counts of misconduct in office, accused of illegally obtaining narcotic and opiate pills from officers and subordinates under his command.

The indictments were announced by state Attorney General Alan Wilson in a news release Friday.

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According to the release, a state grand jury indicted Wilbanks on the misconduct charges Thursday, two days after he suddenly resigned from the post he had held since 2012. He was at the Walhalla Police Department for 12 years.

The indictment alleges that from January 2010 until December of last year, Wilbanks asked for and got narcotic and opiate pills that officers or their family members had obtained legitimately. The indictment alleges that Wilbanks did this when he was on duty, in uniform, or in police vehicles or at police facilities, according to the release.

The indictment says Wilbanks sought pills from officers who depended on him "for their jobs, appropriate work environment, and promotions."

The indictment also alleges that Wilbanks got prescription narcotic and opiate pills from a citizen and threatened the person with retaliation when the citizen refused to provide them.

The final count of the indictment alleges that sometime in 2014, Wilbanks improperly gave a citizen a Walhalla Police Department gun as part of a private deal.

Attempts to reach Wilbanks were unsuccessful. A publicly listed phone number for him has been disconnected.

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If Wilbanks is convicted on all three counts of the indictment, he faces up to three years in prison and a fine of up to $3,000, according to the Attorney General's Office.

Wilbanks resigned hastily and effective immediately on Tuesday. He did not write a resignation letter, instead just telling City Manager Brent Taylor of his plans. Wilbanks' annual salary when he left the department was $59,241.

Capt. Paul Harris is serving as the Walhalla Police Department's interim chief. He leads a department of 14 officers, Taylor said Friday.

Taylor said that no other officers have left or been dismissed from the department recently.

"As far as I know, there are no other officers involved," he said. "Our police department is operating as normal, and our officers are very passionate about keeping this community safe."

Follow Nikie Mayo on Twitter @NikieMayo and email her at mayon@independentmail.com.

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