Marshall Revenue Commissioner resigns following arrest

Authorities have arrested the Marshall County Revenue Commissioner ,  51 year old Joey Masters of Albertville was arrested by special agents with the Attorney General's Office charged with a misdemeanor ethics violation. Masters was booked into the Marshall County Jail and released on a $1,500 bond.  Masters, submitted his resignation as Revenue Commissioner following his arrest.  The warrant charges Masters with knowing use of his official position to obtain personal gain. The crime is punishable by up to 12 months in the county jail and a fine of up to $6,000.  In 2012, the State Revenue Department took over Masters' office after an audit claimed he gave property tax breaks to himself and his family. Masters admitted those mistakes and said there was no criminal wrongdoing. He returned to the job in August.  Masters' attorney, Dan Warnes, said the charges stem from removing a couple hundred dollars from the petty cash drawer at the Revenue Office. Warnes said Masters knows he is responsible for the money, whether the shortage was due to his use or by accounting errors made by employees.  Warnes said Masters has repaid the money shorted from the cash drawer, citing he had no intention of violating the state ethics law.