Jackson, MS—A former justice court clerk in Wilkinson County answered in court today to extortion charges related to her official duties, announced Attorney General Jim Hood.

Wanda Fountain, age 54, of Woodville appeared before Judge Lilly Blackmon Sanders this morning on one count of extortion.  Videotape evidence showed her accepting money in exchange for fixing tickets.  Fountain entered an open plea to the charge, meaning she refused to accept the state’s recommended sentence and instead threw herself at the mercy of the court.  Judge Sanders sentenced Fountain to non-adjudicated status and ordered her to never to run for public office again.

“The defendant’s actions were a shameful breach of trust between her and the public she served,” said Attorney General Hood.

The investigation of this case was conducted by the Department of Audit and the Mississippi Highway Patrol.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant Attorney General Stan Alexander of the Attorney General’s Public Integrity Division.